Dear Community:

As we move into February, I want to share several important moments that underscore both the urgency of our work and the power of community action.

First, I’m proud to announce the return of our Health Expo on April 25 at Washington Park. This reimagined event brings health directly to the community, through free screenings, hands-on experiences, and tools that help families take control of their well-being. Together we can and Must Save Us!

That same commitment guided my recent op-ed in The Cincinnati Enquirer, where I spoke out about the importance of standing up for immunizations and science-based public health. Protecting children and families requires clarity, courage, and leadership, especially in moments of uncertainty.

As Black History Month begins this Sunday, new research reminds us why this work cannot wait. Studies published in JAMA show Black Americans continue to die younger than white Americans, with 1.63 million excess deaths tied largely to chronic disease, lifelong stress, and inflammation. History calls us to action. Together, we must continue pushing for equity, access, and healthier futures for all.



Wishing you a safe and healthy week ahead. Stay warm out there!



Renee Mahaffey Harris

President & CEO

Closing the Health Gap's Renee Mahaffey Harris Featured on Local12 Story

LOCAL12: The Center for Closing the Health Gap is encouraging individuals to take charge of their health, especially during the colder months when many are indoors.

The Center offers virtual programs addressing issues such as blood pressure and diabetes, aiming to reduce early death rates in areas like Price Hill compared to Indian Hill. Renee Mahaffey Harris, president and CEO of the center, emphasized the importance of lifespan, stating, "We know that years of life lived are shorter when there are diseases that are preventable and lifestyle factors that can contribute to extending the life of yourself and your family members."

Harris also highlighted the significance of finding a primary care doctor, saying, "Building that partnership with your healthcare provider is the key to improving your health outcome."

Cincinnati Enquirer – January 25, 2026

Mahaffey Harris Participating in Panel Discussion at International Women's Day Event on March 8

Learn more at https://www.grail-us.org.

National Medical Association Endorses AAP 2026 Childhood Immunization Schedule

For Immediate Release: January 26, 2026

Statement attributable to: Dr. Roger A. Mitchell, Jr., President, National Medical Association

The physician members and leaders of the National Medical Association (NMA) continue to recommend an evidence-based immunization schedule that protects against 18 diseases and have endorsed the 2026 childhood immunization schedule released today by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP schedule is thoroughly researched and rooted in science and differs significantly from recent changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) federal immunization schedule, which have created unnecessary and harmful confusion about routine childhood vaccinations.

The NMA encourages health care providers, families, and caregivers to rely on the AAP schedule and continue vaccinating children to protect them and their communities from preventable diseases.

The full AAP 2026 Immunization Schedule is available here:

https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/AAP-Immunization-Schedule.pdf

The AAP schedule is endorsed by the following medical and health organizations: the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American Medical Association (AMA), American Pharmacists Association (APhA), Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS), Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP), National Medical Association (NMA), Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), Pediatric Pharmacy Association (PPA), and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM).

Keeping it Real: MLK’s Legacy and the Fight for Equity and Access to Healthcare Across Generations

MLK’s legacy includes a call for access and equality in the nation’s healthcare system. Decades later, the nation’s first Black President ,Barack Obama, made major strides in access to care for all Americans with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act has improved access to healthcare for all Americans, but there are many disparities in health outcomes that persist. The expansion of Medicaid under the ACA has reduced mortality in non-elderly adults by nearly four percent, but millions remain uninsured, particularly in Republican-led states with large Black populations.

Racism packs a punch for those enduring it over a lifetime

Black Americans die younger than their white counterparts, with an estimated 1.63 million “excess” deaths having occurred between 1999 and 2020, according to research in the Journal of the American Medical Association. These excess deaths are predominantly attributable to chronic conditions such as heart disease and cancer.

In a new study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found that the elevated mortality risk among Black Americans is largely explained by greater stress exposure across the lifespan as well as inflammation in later life.



The research came from a unique longitudinal study, the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network (SPAN) Study, which has followed older adults for nearly 20 years. WashU graduate student Isaiah Spears said he “saw the stark difference between the rate in which our Black participants in the sample have been dying relative to the white participants” and wanted dig into the question of what might be contributing to such racial disparities.

Effects of social determinants of health on the landscape of kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI) are highly prevalent and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Although diabetes and hypertension are important drivers of CKD, it can result from diverse aetiologies, including autoimmune conditions, infections, genetic factors and environmental exposures. Similarly, AKI can result from diverse aetiologies. Dynamic changes within human societies and the natural environment are shaping the landscape of AKI and CKD. Urbanization, climate change, pollution and lifestyle changes are increasingly recognized for their effects on kidney health. These macro-level social determinants of health (SDH) do not affect all regions uniformly or simultaneously; rather, variations in their intensity and timing drive changes in the etiologies and epidemiology of kidney disease. Rapidly urbanizing regions in low- and middle-income countries face more challenging and complex issues from these SDHs, which are further exacerbated by inadequate healthcare infrastructures and resource constraints. An improved understanding of the influence of SDH on kidney health is crucial not only to address challenges in disease diagnosis and management but also to predict future trends across different regions. Achieving this calls for multidisciplinary strategies that integrate measures of SDH into research, policy, and healthcare models, harness digital technologies and advance equitable global collaboration.

US State-Level Prevalence of Adult Obesity by Race and Ethnicity From 1990 to 2022 and Forecasted to 2035

Importance: The prevalence of obesity in the US has risen steeply over the past decades, representing a large public health burden with substantial variation by population. There is a lack of detailed population-level estimates and projections of obesity necessary for informing health policy and reducing disparities.

Objective: To estimate US obesity prevalence from 1990 to 2022 and predict trends through 2035 by race and ethnicity, state, sex, and age (≥20 years).

Results: In 2022, there were an estimated 107 (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 101-113) million adults living with obesity in the US (42.5% [95% UI, 40.2%-45.0%] of the adult population), an increase from 34.7 (95% UI, 31.1-38.3) million in 1990 (19.3% [95% UI, 17.3%-21.3%] of the adult population).