Equity in Health Outcomes Data Collection

WHEREAS, The COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic has amplified long-standing disparities in chronic health outcomes for African Americans; and

WHEREAS, These chronic conditions including heart and stroke, kidney, diabetes, asthma, and other respiratory diseases led to the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus upon African Americans and also continue to broadly threaten the health of the Black community across all socioeconomic indicators; and

WHEREAS, Data on health outcomes has been inconsistent and inaccessible across the country with many NAACP units reporting they are unable to easily access public health data in their states; and

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth Fund Foundation states, "The COVID-19 pandemic exposed our long-standing inability to collect, share, and act on meaningful race and ethnicity data in health care.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, race and ethnicity data are not available for nearly 40 percent of people testing positive forCOVID or receiving a vaccine. This situation is not unique to COVID-19. There are major concerns about the quality of Medicaid data in 22 states. In Medicare, data standards have varied over time. Data are Incomplete in other federal and state programs...;" and

WHEREAS, TheUS Office of Management and Budget has not updated the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity for more than 25 years. This policy provides the minimum rules that affect federal reporting on health data and was last updated in 1997 which was about 20 years after it was established; and

WHEREAS, Racial and ethnic demographics in America have changed significantly as well as technology, capabilities, research and understanding around race and ethnicity reporting; and

WHEREAS, Accurate and consistent health data delineated by race and ethnicity is a critical part of tracking the pathology of a disease, and will also provide vital information on how to address future health crises.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP demands that agencies and organizations responsible for reporting health data including the CDC and State Public Health Departments publicly report data on chronic disease conditions, outbreaks, hospitalizations, and mortality rates disaggregated by race and ethnicity.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP demands that the health data affecting all Americans, most specifically African Americans, be consistently collected and made publicly available in a timely manner.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP calls forexecutive oversight of stateand federal health agencies to ensure consistent public reporting of health data disaggregated by race and ethnicity.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP calls on President Joseph Biden's Administration to direct the US Office of Management and Budget to modernize the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity based on current, research, technology, methodology, capability, and understanding.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that NAACP State Conferences and local units monitor data disseminated by their local health departments and advocate for data transparency and consistent, current, and publicly accessible race and ethnicity-delineated data.