What's New | July 18, 2012

Reducing Disparities Through Peer Support

According to the 2011 AHRQ National Healthcare Disparities Report, disparities still exist and health care quality and access are suboptimal. While there is not a simple solution to eliminating disparities, leveraging peer networks and the power of peer-to-peer interactions has the potential to improve care and outcomes for vulnerable populations.

The featured Innovations describe a mentor program for African-American veterans with diabetes that improved blood glucose control and an interactive education class for kidney transplant candidates that increased the percentage of African-American patients and people of lower socioeconomic status, who completed the transplant evaluation process.

The featured QualityTools include a toolkit to help organizations and communities work with peers to engage people living with HIV/AIDS in care and treatment, and a guide to assess and promote cultural competency in mental health peer-run programs.

Featured Innovations:

• Kidney Transplant Center Required Completion of Education Class Prior to Medical Assessment, Leading to More Patients Completing Evaluation

• Telephone-Based Mentoring From Demographically Similar Peers Improves Diabetes Control in African-American Veterans
with Expert Commentary

Featured QualityTools:

• Building Blocks to Peer Program Success: A Toolkit for Developing HIV Peer Programs
Developed by American Red Cross, St. Louis Area Chapter; Boston University School of Public Health; Center for Health Training; Columbia University; Harlem Hospital Center; Justice Resource Institute; Kansas City Free Health Clinic; Women Organized to Respond to Life-Threatening Diseases (WORLD)

• Cultural Competency in Mental Health Peer-Run Programs and Self-Help Groups: A Tool to Assess and Enhance Your Services
Developed by National Alliance on Mental Illness; University of Illinois-Chicago

View Other Issues

Also in This Issue:

Innovations >

• Comprehensive, Multilingual Social Services Program Brings Valuable Support to the Elderly, Disabled, and Those With Limited English Proficiency
with Story
with Expert Commentary

• Financial Incentives Do Not Improve Glucose Control in African-American Veterans With Diabetes

• Transitional Care Program With Advance Care Planning for Frail Elders Reduces Emergency Department Visits and Readmissions

QualityTools >

• Asian Pacific Islander Cancer Education Materials Tool
Developed by American Cancer Society

• Comparative Effectiveness of Therapies for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer: Weighing the Options
Developed by PRIME Education, Inc.