Eva Vivian, professor (CHS) in the Pharmacy Practice Division, was appointed to serve as secretary of the Executive Committee which leads the Access Community Health Centers Board of Directors. Typically, the Secretary succeeds to Vice President, then President in successive years.

Access Community Health Centers is a non-profit organization with the mission of improving the health and lives of people who otherwise face financial, cultural, or language obstacles that prevent access to high quality, affordable health care. Started in 1982 it offers care in five locations in the greater Madison and Iowa County region.

A majority—72 percent, of Access patients live in poverty. Another 45 percent have coverage through BadgerCare or Medicare program and 14 percent have no coverage at all. And half of all Access patients are African American or Latino. By providing culturally appropriate care through interpreters and addressing factors caused by social determinants of health, Access patients get basic needs met so they can focus on their health and well-being.

Vivian’s research interest focuses on identifying disparities in the treatment of hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseases among ethnic minorities, particularly African American and Latino American patients and developing and implementing strategies to reduce and eliminate them. Recently, her research has sharpened its focus in response to heightened awareness of the great numbers of children and adolescents who are at special risk of diabetes.