114 STAT. 2496 PUBLIC LAW 106-525—NOV. 22, 2000 (1) Despite notable progress in the overall health of the Nation, there are continuing disparities in the burden of illness and death experienced by African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Asian Pacific Islanders, compared to the United States population as a whole. (2) The largest numbers of the medically underserved are white individuals, and many of them have the same health care access problems as do members of minority groups. Nearly 20,000,000 white individuals live below the poverty line with many living in nonmetropolitan, rural areas such as Appalachia, where the high percentage of counties designated as health professional shortage areas (47 percent) and the high rate of poverty contribute to disparity outcomes. However, there is a higher proportion of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States represented among the medically underserved. (3) There is a national need for minority scientists in the fields of biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and health services research. Ninety percent of minority physicians educated at Historically Black Medical Colleges live and serve in minority communities. (4) Demographic trends inspire concern about the Nation's ability to meet its future scientific, technological, and engineering workforce needs. Historically, non-Hispanic white males have made up the majority of the United States scientific, technological, and engineering workers. (5) The Hispanic and Black population will increase significantly in the next 50 years. The scientific, technological, and engineering workforce may decrease if participation by underrepresented minorities remains the same. (6) Increasing rates of Black and Hispanic workers can help ensure a strong scientific, technological, and engineering workforce. (7) Individuals such as underrepresented minorities and women in the scientific, technological, and engineering workforce enable society to address its diverse needs. (8) If there had not been a substantial increase in the number of science and engineering degrees awarded to women and underrepresented minorities over the past few decades, the United States would be facing even greater shortages in scientific, technological, and engineering workers. (9) In order to effectively promote a diverse and strong 21st century scientific, technological, and engineering workforce. Federal agencies should expand or add programs that effectively overcome barriers such as educational transition from one level to the next and student requirements for financial resources. (10) Federal agencies should work in concert with the private nonprofit sector to emphasize the recruitment and retention of qualified individuals from ethnic and gender groups that are currently underrepresented in the scientific, technological, and engineering workforce. (11) Behavioral and social sciences research has increased awareness and understanding of factors associated with health care utilization and access, patient attitudes toward health services, and risk and protective behaviors that afiect health and illness. These factors have the potential to then be modified
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