As regional gaps continue to grow, life expectancy rates are now two to four years shorter in southern states versus those in the north. These disparities are fueled by social, economic, and behavioral factors such as lower levels of education, higher rates of tobacco use and obesity, and less social mobility.

The Institute was established in 2019 to reduce health disparities among disadvantaged and underserved minority populations in the southern region through program development and implementation, training and technical assistance, organizational capacity building, grant writing and evaluation. The areas covered by the Institute include all 82 counties of Mississippi.