150 Turn Out for Conference On Third World Health Issues

More than 150 minority students and representatives of community health organizations convened at Harvard on Saturday to disuse the special and acute medical concerns of non-whites, a relatively new field of scientific research.

The day-long conference, primarily sponsored by the recently formed Harvard Educational Alliance for Third World Health (HEALTH), was the first of its kind at Harvard.

The topics, ranging from minority representation in medicine to cultural factors in the perception of health care, reflected growing interest in the disparities between the health awareness and medical care of whites and minorities.

In addition to the educational value of the topics discussed, participants said the conference was particularly relevant to minority pre-medical students. Reflecting on her undergraduate Education. Maria A Gordian '83, one of the day's chief organizers, said. "The Harvard pre-med education does not address the ethical and social issues related to medicine."

Death Not Random

The conference denied the commonly held belief that the time of death and quality of health are randomly determined, stressing that these stem from one's socio-economic status and cultural background.

Dr. Paul H. Wise '78, director of emergency and primary care services at Boston Children's Hospital, said "illness and death are the ultimate expressions of inequity in our society."

Several speakers presented statistical findings to support their claim that minorities are often at a disadvantage in health care. Dr. Roberto Montoya, director of the Health Professions career opportunity program in Sacramento, California, demonstrated the lack of accessible health care by presenting physician-to-patient ratios in urban, low-income areas with heavy minority populations. He noted that cities like San Antonio, Chicago, and Detroit have ratios comparable to developing, war-sticken counties such as Honduras.

Another researcher, Dr. Leon Bisenberg '67, said that death rates show that minorities on the average live five years less than whites "for the sin of not being Anglo in America."

A discussion of the Reagan Administration's economic policies included a critique of the government's current health policy and a broader criticism of national health priorities. Referring to new federal programs trying to curb salt intake and encourage Americans to exercise more, Children's Defense Fund member Franna Diamond said. "For most children the principle issue is not salt in their food but food on their plate."

The conference originated as a response to "a lack of activity among Third World groups at the College and a lack of concern from College administrators for minority issues," said John M. Pagan '83, following the conference.

The $2200 Conference received funding from the Undergraduate Council, the race relations Foundation, and Education for Action.