• For National Minority Health Month this April, the CAP calls for Congress to act on legislation that addresses the social determinants of health in the United States

WASHINGTON—For National Minority Health Month this April, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) calls for Congress to act on legislation that addresses the social determinants of health in the United States. The CAP will also join with federal agencies and communities across the country by raising awareness of the importance of vaccines and booster shots as vital tools against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“National Minority Health Month highlights the importance of improving health and reducing health disparities in the United States,” said CAP President Emily Volk, MD, FCAP.

“As physicians and stewards of laboratory medicine, the CAP and its members are committed to achieving health equity and addressing disparities in care to ensure quality, accessible patient care for everyone,” Dr. Volk said. “Access to services like preventive care, cancer screenings, and treatment for chronic illnesses are essential for communities of color, rural communities, and other underserved populations. Unfortunately, various social determinants contribute to people not getting the recommended health care services they need.”

Over the last several months, the CAP has supported legislation to enable a better understanding of the social determinants that drive health care disparities in the United States. For example, the CAP supports the Social Determinants Accelerator Act to improve health care data collection between federal agencies and establish a federal council to develop plans addressing determinants plaguing beneficiaries in the Medicaid program. The Act will provide needed grants and assistance to state, tribal, and local governments to deploy strategies addressing determinants in their own communities.

Reducing Vaccine Hesitancy Among Communities of Color

The 2022 National Minority Health Month theme is Give Your Community a Boost, which focuses on the importance of COVID-19 vaccination. Racism and discrimination can contribute to mistrust in the US health care system. Misinformation about vaccines and boosters further serve as barriers to obtaining vaccine and booster shots.

Watch this CAP video to learn more about building trust about vaccines in the Black community.

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About the College of American Pathologists 

As the world’s largest organization of board-certified pathologists and a leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. As a 501(c)(6) membership organization, the CAP is the only entity representing pathologists with unrestricted advocacy capability and a political action committee, PathPAC. For more information, visit yourpathologist.org to watch pathologists at work and see the stories of the patients who trust them with their care. Read the CAP Annual Report.