Surgeon General Stresses Lower Risk Factors Focuses on Lifestyles, Access for Area at Health Conference

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U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher yesterday urged Northeast Florida residents and medical providers to attack some of the factors contributing to poorer health among minorities.

"In this community, I would focus on lifestyles and access," Satcher told about 150 people attending a conference on health disparities at Florida Community College at Jacksonville. "If you do that, you'll make a difference."

The conference, mainly aimed at health providers, outlined the latest information on treating various diseases disproportionately affecting minorities.

Reducing health disparities was a goal of Healthy People 2000, the nation's plan for health improvement. But the Healthy People 2010 plan he announced last year calls for eliminating them in 10 years. The plan focuses on infant …