Fort Valley State University

In the documentary movie “Sicko,” filmmaker Michael Moore explores the glaring inequities of access to healthcare in America. On Wednesday, June 11, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the C. W. Pettigrew Center, Fort Valley State University will host a community conversation about this timely issue when the Office of Health Improvement presents its 2008 Georgia Health Disparities Report. The study was developed by the Georgia Department of Community Health, Office of Health Improvement and the Minority Health Advisory Council. FVSU is one of ten statewide meeting sites.

The OHI interactive workshops are designed to share critical information with residents, as well as get feedback. James Peoples, OHI executive director, will present the report to spark community action toward the delivery of equal healthcare access for all Georgians.

“We need to look at the health discrepancies between minorities, specifically African Americans and Hispanics in Georgia compared to their white counterparts,” says Peoples. “There’s a reason for it. We’re trying to assess the causes during our community conversations.”

According to Peoples, the report’s findings derive from the compilation of public health data gathered from hospital records, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control.

In addition to the Fort Valley meeting, the OHI will meet in Albany, Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Brunswick, Columbus, Gainesville, Valdosta and Waycross.

For more information about the series, call (404) 463-4013.