Jason Q. Purnell, assistant professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, is the lead investigator on a major new research project on the health and well-being of African Americans in St. Louis. The project is being funded by the Missouri Foundation for Health.
“African Americans bear a considerable burden of disease, disability and death in the St. Louis region,” Dr. Purnell says. “The goal with this project is to produce a series of policy briefs and a report that will identify the issues and offer real solutions. This is unprecedented in that it will focus not only on the health issues of African Americans, but also education and economics.”
The project aims to produce policy briefs on the following topics:
- A Multi-Sector Approach to Health Disparities in St. Louis
- African American Educational Attainment and Health in St. Louis
- Mental Health’s Impact on Education, Employment, and Physical Health among African Americans in St. Louis
- Racial Composition of the St. Louis Region and the Association with Health
- Addressing Risk Factors for Chronic Disease in African Americans in St. Louis
The project will culminate with a major conference in 2014.
