Interventions to Improve Management of Chronic Conditions Among Racial and Ethnic Minorities.

Digital and mhealth interventions can be effective in improving health outcomes among minority patients with diabetes, congestive heart failure, and chronic respiratory diseases. A number of electronic and digital approaches to individual and population-level interventions involving telephones, internet and web-based resources, and mobile platforms have been deployed to improve chronic disease outcomes. This paper summarizes the evidence supporting the efficacy of various behavioral and digital interventions targeting intermediate outcomes and hospitalizations with particular emphasis on studies examining the effects of these interventions on racial and ethnic minority population.

Population health-based approaches to utilizing digital technology: a strategy for equity.

Health care disparities and high chronic disease rates burden many communities and disproportionally impact racial/ethnic populations in the United States. These disparities vary geographically, increase health care expenses, and result in shortened lifespans. Digital technologies may be one tool for addressing health disparities and improving population health by increasing individuals' access to health information-especially as most low-income U.S. residents gain access to smartphones. The Aetna Foundation partners with organizations to use digital technologies, including mobile applications, data collection, and related platforms, for learning and sharing. Projects range from the broad-childhood education, lifestyle modification, health IT training, and nutrition education, to the specific-local healthy foods, stroke rehabilitation, and collection of city-level data. We describe our approaches to grantmaking and discuss lessons learned and their implications. When combined with sound policy strategies, emerging, scalable, digital technologies will likely become powerful allies for improving health and reducing health disparities.

Healthy & Active Communities Initiative: a foundation's response to the obesity epidemic.

Missouri has the 12th highest rate of adult obesity and the 15th highest rate of overweight and obese youth in the United States. In response, Missouri Foundation for Health has implemented the Healthy and Active Communities Initiative (H&AC). Methods applied through H&AC include grantmaking, evaluation support, dissemination technical assistance, policy assessment, and development of local, regional, and statewide collaborations to increase access to physical activity and nutrition through environmental, policy and behavior change. Results to date demonstrate more than 49 counties in the state have been impacted through 79 grantee projects. Nearly half (45%) of these grantees have achieved more than their original goals and 60% of grantees can sustain at least half of their program activities post award. Fifty percent of grantees have helped to change the way the community works on public issues. Through the H&AC Initiative, Missouri Foundation for Health serves as a model for how a foundation can assist in efforts to mitigate and prevent rising rates of obesity.