Definition:  The National Institutes of Health defines health disparities as "gaps in the quality of health and health care that mirror differences in socioeconomic status, racial and ethnic background, and education level. These disparities may stem from many factors, including accessibility of health care, increased risk of disease from occupational exposure, and increased risk of disease from underlying genetic, ethnic, or familial factors." See the NIH fact sheet on health disparities

“The future health of the nation will be determined to a large extent by how effectively we work with communities to eliminate health disparities among those populations experiencing a disproportionate burden of disease, disability, and death.” - http://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/OMHHE.html

According to the CDC's office of Minority Health and Health Equity, in addition to racial and ethnic minorities, other populations with a high burden of morbidity and mortality include socio-economic status, geography (urban vs. rural), gender, age, disability status, and risk status related to sex and gender. - http://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/about/OMHHE.pdf

See our Resources page for links to more information about health disparities and health disparities reports.