Welcome to the UB Community Health Equity Research Institute, which was created in response to the crisis of race-based health disparities, especially in African Americans who live on the city’s East Side. Remarkably, compared to White residents of Buffalo, life expectancy of African Americans is 12 years shorter, and serious, chronic, and often preventable diseases, like heart disease, diabetes, asthma and cancer are 300% greater. The primary reason for these disparities is the social determinants of health, which refer to the conditions in which people live, work, learn, play and worship.

Our goal is to perform research to advance understanding of the root causes of health disparities and develop and test innovative solutions to eliminate health inequities in the region. The Institute arose from a partnership with the African American Health Equity Task Force, which was formed in 2014 and is led by local pastors and includes faculty, community residents, community leaders and healthcare professionals. All of the Institute’s research will be conducted in close coordination with our community partners.

We welcome UB faculty and trainees along with community members to partner with us to perform research that will have an impact on mitigating health disparities in Buffalo. This ambitious goal will require creative approaches from people with diverse expertise and big ideas. We need new approaches — we can’t keep doing the same things because they haven’t worked. We need generational changes.

Timothy F. Murphy MD
SUNY Distinguished Professor
Director, Community Health Equity Research Institute