INFORM ME: DEFINITIONS

Disparities
The National Institutes for Health defines health disparities as: “Differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the United States.”

Disparities in Tobacco Control
Disparities in tobacco control are gaps in tobacco-caused health problems or tobacco-related health risks that exist between specific populations. These disparities are often stated as rates in epidemiological terms such as prevalence, mortality, morbidity, exposure to second-hand smoke, etc. They can also be stated in more commonly understood terms such as: access to prevention or cessation service programs, or target populations for tobacco industry marketing.

Disparities and Diversity
Diversity in a tobacco control coalition means that the group is truly representative of the community served, in terms of race, ethnicity, age, gender, income, education, sexual orientation, mental and physical ability/disability, geographic location and other population descriptors or social characteristics.

Sources
“ Eliminating Health Disparities: The Role of Primary Intervention,” 2002, Prevention Institute
“ Finding Our Way: Achieving Parity in Tobacco Control,” 2003, TTAC Exchange

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