What is being done to reduce health disparities?
Strategies to reduce health disparities are mainly delegated to public health services, and the levels at which
they are carried out differ from state to state. Health disparities are implicitly mentioned in the national health
targets. In 2001, the Federal Center for Health Education initiated a network of 53 health-related institutions
(e.g., sickness funds and their associations) to promote the health of the socially deprived. The law § 20 SGB V
makes primary prevention mandatory for sickness funds; detailed regulations are delegated to the Federal
Association of Sickness Funds, which has developed guidelines regarding need, target groups, and access, as
well as content and methods. Sickness funds support 22,000 health-related programs according to law § 20
SGB V, e.g., in nurseries and schools.