Cardiovascular disparities-bridging cardiovascular health promotion

Disparities in the quality of health and healthcare delivery across racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic groups have been documented, specifically when evaluating cardiovascular diseases. As the US population has diversified, the elimination of these disparities has become the focus of a national initiative. In this regard, the promotion of patient-centered care and cultural competency in healthcare delivery has been proposed using approaches such as: the development and integration of culturally appropriate educational curricula for training future care providers, the promotion of underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities among healthcare professionals, the recruitment of community healthcare workers to promote health within their cultural communities, the establishment of culturally tailored interventions for delivering quality care to racial and ethnic minorities, the improvement of patient and provider communication by eliminating language barriers, and the education of minorities about access to healthcare and participation in clinical decision making. This article discusses initiatives aimed at achieving equitable access and delivery of cardiac health in minorities.