For many years, foundations, practitioners, researchers, community-based organizations, and policymakers have worked to reduce the higher rates of certain diseases and health conditions among low-income communities of color. We are making progress, but we are still far from reaching the goal of good health for all.

The California Endowment recognizes the need for new strategies to address this issue. In 2002, the foundation undertook an in-depth investigation of how the places where people live can affect their health. PolicyLink, a national nonprofit research, communications, capacity building, and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing policies to achieve economic and social equity, has been an important partner in these efforts. PolicyLink undertook interviews of community leaders, researchers, and policymakers as well as a comprehensive literature review to draft an important report—Reducing Health Disparities Through a Focus on Communities—laying out a new community framework to address the challenges of health disparities. The California Endowment has moved forward with innovative grantmaking strategies that invest in strengthening communities to improve health.

This annotated bibliography emerged from this first stage of our partnership. Developed by PolicyLink, the bibliography highlights groundbreaking research on how community factors affect health.

The California Endowment’s efforts have been under the leadership of Marion Standish, Program Director. The PolicyLink team that produced this bibliography was led by Senior Associate Rebecca Flournoy. Flournoy and consultant Irene Yen coordinated the research and did much of the drafting and editing. Director of Research Victor Rubin reviewed and helped shape the document. Yen conducted the literature review for “Neighborhood Influences on Health.” Yen and Victoria Breckwich Vasquez, University of California at Berkeley doctoral researcher, conducted the literature review for “Communities Not Defined by Neighborhood.”

We hope that this document will help researchers, health professionals, policymakers, community leaders, and other foundations develop creative new ideas for programs and policies to reduce health disparities.

Robert K. Ross, M.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
The California Endowment

Angela Glover Blackwell
President