Fall 2023 CEMHD Newsletter
Transitions At CEMHD
In this issue, we announce a leadership transition and an organizational transition for CEMHD.
At the end of the summer, Dr. Annis Golden stepped down from her position as CEMHD Director.
“When I was appointed as Interim Director, following Larry Schell’s decision to step down from the position, I shared with everyone connected with my appointment that I did not intend to stay in this role on an open-ended basis,” Dr. Golden said.
“Rather, my purpose was to provide leadership and continuity at the Center, where I have a long history of involvement, until another director could be appointed. We now have such a person in Dr. Elizabeth Vásquez, whom I am delighted to be working with,” she said.
Dr. Golden will continue as Associate Director for Communications and Planning over the next 12 months to support the leadership transition at CEMHD, as well as the transition of CEMHD under the umbrella of the new Institute for Social and Health Equity.
Dr. Golden has been a research associate of the Center since 2006 and was principal investigator on one of the three major research projects funded through the 2009 P-20 award.
The Institute for Social and Health Equity (ISHE), led by Dr. Paul Morgan, was established earlier this year to be a catalyst and focal point for building on the University’s strengths and commitments to achieving social and health equity in our local communities and beyond.
The work of ISHE builds on the accomplishments of the CEMHD, which is now a part of the Institute.
Dr. Elizabeth Vásquez is now serving as the Director of the CEMHD.
Dr. Vasquez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University at Albany School of Public Health.
Her research focuses on the areas of physical activity among older adults and the influence of contextual factors and social determinants.
Over the years, Dr. Vásquez is a nationally recognized researcher who has made significant contributions to this field of study, resulting in more than 50 published papers.
Dr. Vásquez has presented her peer-reviewed work at major national conferences in physical activity and aging, including the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the Society for Epidemiology Research, and the American Public Health Association.
In addition, she has received four competitive mentoring fellowships, including:
- An award by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of Health (NHLBI) Summer Institute Program (2012)
- The William Butler Scholars Program, awarded by the National Institute of Aging (NIA; 2015)
- Sustained Training in Aging and HIV Research (STAHR; 2017)
- The Hispanic Leadership Institute training (SUNY-wide; 2022)
Dr. Vasquez serves on the Board of Directors for the GSA and was recently appointed to the GSA Public Policy Advisory Panel.
Over the past ten years at the UAlbany, and nine as an Associate at CEMHD, Dr. Vásquez has sought to build a solid academic record in research, teaching and service that enhances her contributions to the University.
As first-generation immigrant, her strong ethnic heritage inspired her educational training and stimulated her research focus. She has experienced firsthand the daily struggles, the complexities, and the educational needs of minorities in higher education.
Her personal experience has also provided her with the unique and necessary skills to apply lessons learned to address health disparities among multiple population intersections.
The combination of these intersections motivates her to contribute to the limited narrative of current gaps in health and educational attainment among disenfranchised populations.
Dr. Vásquez views the opportunity to be the director of the CEMHD as a key transitional experience and a catalyst to further advance the translation of educational and research initiatives into the elimination of health disparities.
“My life experience as a first-generation Dominican immigrant, my academic training and service orientation, my experience as a faculty member and mentor to students in the field of public health, greatly qualifies me to bring new and innovative commitments to community engagement, to fostering health disparities research, and to supporting the development of new health disparities scholars as director of the CEMHD,” Dr. Vásquez said.
Fast Facts: Infant Mortality among Native Americans / Alaska Natives
Given the higher health status enjoyed by most Americans, the lingering health disparities of Native Americans and Alaska Natives are troubling.
In trying to account for the disparities, health care experts, policymakers and tribal leaders are looking at many factors that impact upon the health of Native American people.
Native Americans and Alaska Natives have almost twice the infant mortality rate as non-Hispanic whites.
Their infants are nearly 50% more likely to die from complications related to low birthweight as compared to non-Hispanic white infants.
| Cause of Death | American Indian / Alaska Native Death Rate (per 100,000 live births) | White Death Rate (per 100,000 live births) |
|---|---|---|
| Low Birthweight | 154.7 | 111.3 |
| Congenital Malformations | 92.8 | 62.1 |
| Maternal Complications | 92.8 | 29.7 |
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health
Welcome to our new 2023 Health Disparities Fellows!
A Nigerian from the Bronx, New York, Ngozichukwuka Jacob Agwu is currently enrolled in the Sociology doctoral program.
He is pursuing a focus in data analytics and has a research track within critical demography and health disparities experienced by under-represented minority groups.
Growing up in the Bronx, Mr. Agwu witnessed firsthand the stark health disparities shaped by one’s environment and social economic status.
The vibrant diversity of his community contrasted with its healthcare struggles is deeply personal for him, having seen loved ones suffer due to their social environment and lack of firm resources.
The disparities his family encountered fueled his passion to advocate for a change where health is not determined by one’s background and resources to combat health issues are provided equitably.
Mr. Agwu hopes to use the Presidential Doctoral Fellowship in Health Disparities as a springboard to hone his research skills, deepen his understanding of what is needed and work towards systemic changes that promote health equity.
He envisions employing innovative research methodologies that capture the lived realities and experiences of those afflicted by health disparities.
By bridging this gap between lived experiences and policymaking, he hopes to steer systemic changes that pave the way for long-term health equity.
As a first-generation Dominican American, Ms. Gonzalez has experienced hardships that are not exclusive to her or her community.
She is a third-year DrPH student in the School of Public Health.
She has held positions conducting domestic violence / sexual assault prevention, youth substance use prevention, gambling prevention and addressing health disparities among vulnerable and marginalized populations.
In addition to her studies at UAlbany, she co-chairs the Massachusetts Public Health Association’s Racial Equity and Health committee and belongs to a historically Black sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho.
Her research interests include minority health disparities, marginalized communities and translational research.
Ms. Gonzalez is passionate about dismantling structural issues that exacerbate minority health disparities due to its nature of being an oppressive and marginalizing system feeling that life conditions will never improve for all while health and racial inequities exist.
Ms. Gonzalez’s goal is to be at decision-making tables and ensure all policies, practices and resources are carried out in equitable manners that address the neglect communities of color experience.
Community Forum on Healthy Aging
The Amsterdam Minority Health Task Force (AMHTF) and the Alzheimer’s Association hosted a Community Forum on Healthy Aging on August 26, 2023, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam, New York.
The Forum provided a listening session on access to aging care, including Alzheimer’s and dementia, with a focus on aging Latinx populations.
A presentation on the aging Latinx community was given by Dr. Blanca Ramos, an associate of CEMHD, AMHTF convener, and associate professor at the School of Social Welfare at the State University of New York at Albany.
This presentation sparked discussion about how to address the Latinx community in academic and medical settings in an inclusive and culturally sensitive way.
Representatives from St. Mary’s considered how hospitals can advertise their services with cultural understanding, leading to further discussions of family and aging in place as community concerns.
Ms. Debbie Abreu, the Community Outreach Manager for DEI initiatives for the Alzheimer’s Association of Northeastern New York, also gave a presentation about how Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia impact the Latinx community.
The greater conversation generated a discussion about outreach and how the AMHTF, the Alzheimer’s Association and St. Mary’s Hospital can continue to interact with the community for future community forums.