The Report of the Secretary’s Task Force on Black and Minority Health, commonly known as the Heckler Report, marked the first time the U.S. government comprehensively studied the health status of racial and ethnic minorities, elevating minority health onto a national stage. The Heckler Report has served as a driving force for ending health disparities and advancing health equity in America.
The Heckler Report, spearheaded by former Health and Human Services Secretary Margaret M. Heckler (1983-1985), “concluded that health disparities accounted for 60,000 excess deaths each year and that six causes of death accounted for more than 80 percent of mortality among Blacks and other minority populations. It further outlined several recommendations to reduce health disparities and revealed the need to improve data collection among Hispanic, Asian American, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations where national health data were limited or lacking.”
More information on the Heckler Report can be found at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.