Awareness months are observed to encourage recognition of cultural and socioeconomic issues. Not many people know that April is National Minority Health Month (NMHM), a 30-day-long period aiming to raise awareness of the minority and disproportionately vulnerable communities that receive inadequate protection and treatment in the healthcare industry.
In a study done by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), it has been found that “racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than white people.” Some minority groups struggle with being adequately represented in healthcare, and this problem persists which is why NMHM strives to raise awareness of this issue.
NMHM was established in 1915 by Booker T. Washington; It began as a week-long educational program called ‘National Negro Health Week.’ Later, in 2002, Congress passed a resolution to expand the observation to a month-long period. The month-long awareness period helps to “promote healthfulness in minority and other communities experiencing health disparities,” according to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD).