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92_SR0374 LRB9216536RHrh 1 SENATE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, In 2000, the Surgeon General of the Public 3 Health Service announced as a goal the elimination by 2010 of 4 health disparities experienced by racial and ethnic 5 minorities in health access and outcome in 6 areas: infant 6 mortality, cancer screening, cardiovascular disease, 7 diabetes, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and human 8 immunodeficiency virus infection, and immunizations; and 9 WHEREAS, Despite notable progress in the overall health 10 of the Nation, there is a crisis of minority health, 11 consisting of continuing disparities in the burden of illness 12 and death experienced by African-Americans, Hispanics, Native 13 Americans, Alaska Natives, Asians, and Pacific Islanders, 14 compared to the United States population as a whole; and 15 WHEREAS, Minorities suffer more than 60,000 excess deaths 16 annually, compared to nonminorities; and 17 WHEREAS, Minorities are more likely than nonminorities to 18 die from cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, chemical 19 dependency, diabetes, infant mortality, violence, and, in 20 recent years, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; and 21 WHEREAS, Minority populations are not benefiting 22 equitably from advances in medical research and technology; 23 and 24 WHEREAS, Minority populations face substantial cultural, 25 social, and economic barriers to obtaining access to and 26 delivery of health care; and 27 WHEREAS, Minorities have made significant contributions 28 to the United States, yet are underrepresented in the health 29 care professions; and 30 WHEREAS, The crisis in minority health results in losses -2- LRB9216536RHrh 1 of billions of dollars by the United States because of 2 reduced productivity and increased health care expenditures; 3 and 4 WHEREAS, The establishment of a National Minority Health 5 Month for the month of April would encourage all health 6 organizations in the United States to host activities to 7 promote healthfulness in minority communities; therefore, be 8 it 9 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SECOND GENERAL 10 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the 11 month of April as "Minority Health Awareness Month" in the 12 interest of promoting healthier lifestyles and greater access 13 to quality health care for minorities in Illinois; and be it 14 further 15 RESOLVED, That we encourage every citizen of the State of 16 Illinois to annually observe "Minority Health Awareness 17 Month" by supporting and participating in programs and 18 activities to attack the many problems associated with the 19 health status disparities persistently experienced by 20 minorities in Illinois.