Maggie Davenport

Greetings!

Thanks so mcuh for stopping by. It is my greatest joy to share with you that I am completing my first year as a doctoral student in health promotion and education.

I have the great fortune to present a concept paper as a poster presentation at the Seventh Health Disparaities Conference in New Orleans this month.

Here is the abstract [let me know what you think!]:

A MICRO BUSINESS APPROACH TO REDUCING HEALTH DISPARITIES IN AN URBAN AREA – A CONCEPT PAPER

• PURPOSE - This paper suggests a creative, collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to lessening the impact of economic disparities using a micro business development structure for at risk urban communities. PROBLEM SIGNIFICANCE - Ameliorating health disparities in urban communities is a national priority. Traditional approaches to lessening health disparities include interventions that improve access to healthy food and medical assistance. Numerous sources indicate that reducing economic disparities is the single-most significant variable in increasing healthy outcomes; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledge this impact. METHODS - The target population is urban communities which experience health disparities. Because this intervention requires the partnership of the business community and not-for-profit entities, this segment is the secondary population. Accordingly, a series of focus groups will be conducted with multi-level stakeholders including community members, business owners, entrepreneurs and grant makers. EXPECTED RESULTS - It is expected that coding and analysis of the focus groups’ responses will reveal: • A consensus that entrepreneurial and micro business approaches can improve health outcomes • Themes to guide planning that reduce health disparities • A format for engaging local businesses and funders in collaborative efforts to improve community health through the development of micro business start-ups •A process through which to engage existing micro business owners to serve as mentors. CONCLUSIONS - These findings represent a significant shift in health programming and promotion and: firmly establish a need for developing a multidisciplinary approach to social determinants of health; forms the underpinnings for a paradigm shift which includes at risk urban communities in micro business development; has broad implications for educating professionals and academicians involved in population health.