A state office is working to strengthen the efforts of community groups to fight health problems among minority populations.

The N.C. Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities was created in 1992 to address health disparities between minority – including blacks, Latinos and American Indians – and white populations through methods such as supporting legislation and improving information and data collection on the subject. The office's Community-

Focused Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative targets six health concerns among minority populations: infant mortality, HIV/AIDS and other STDs, cancer, diabetes, homicide and motor vehicle deaths.

The office helps local groups through technical and communicative support to 165 health departments, faith- and community-based groups and American Indian tribes. It also has awarded grants to 42 other organizations.

"Our philosophy is we truly believe if there is going to be a change in the health behavior of residents of North Carolina, it will be done at the community level," said George Hill, program manager for the N.C. Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities. "In many instances, ... these grassroots organizations are the closest to the people."

Some of the arms and legs of that effort are the Rocky Mount Opportunities Industrialization Center, Crossworks and Ebenezer Baptist Church's ATOM program.

ATOM focuses on raising awareness about prostate cancer, and seems to be making a difference. More people seem to be getting their prostates checked, and the minority health office is partly responsible for that result, said the Rev. Thomas Walker of Ebenezer Baptist Church.

"Clearly they're making a difference, but I say in that same breath that every contributor matters in an issue of this nature," he said.

Representatives from the OIC and Crossworks were not available for comment.

The minority health office released a report card in 2006 that tracks the status of health issues in minority populations that tracks the number of cases of illnesses such as HIV/AIDS and prostate cancer among minorities.

The report compares cases and death rates between minority and white populations because the latter "are the majority population in North Carolina and because they often have the best health outcomes."

The report shows both some improvements in health and the need to do more.

From 1997 to 2001, the death rate for blacks with diabetes was 2.2 times as high as the rate for whites. The death rate for American Indians was twice as high as the rate to whites, according to the report.

The death rate for blacks was 2.1 times the rate for whites from 2000 to 2004, and the mortality rate for American Indians was 1.8, according to the report.

The office will focus the third year of its initiative on accountability and capacity-building for local organizations, Hill said.

"We are really going to go back to our niche and focus on those two pieces, ensuring that these organizations strengthen their capacity to offer prevention, intervention, processes and, of course, to ensure adherence to state accounting practices and to strengthen ... the evaluation process," he said.