Disease prevention, the elimination of health disparities and emergency preparedness should be priorities in fixing the "somewhat backward" U.S. health care system, acting U.S. Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu said in a speech at a conference hosted by Salt Lake City's Intermountain Healthcare, the Salt Lake City Deseret Morning News reports. Moritsugu cited smoking, obesity and inactivity as preventable causes of "serious illness and death." He also highlighted the need for emergency preparedness, which he said must include efforts to stockpile medicines and establish functional infrastructures. Another focus should be on reducing the health disparities that exist across age, race and background among diseases including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, HIV/AIDS and cancer, Moritsugu said. He added that health literacy -- "being able to have a message heard, understood, embraced and ultimately put into action" -- will reduce such disparities. According to Moritsugu, HHS has begun to make efforts in this area including a brochure detailing the effects of second-hand smoke and the establishment of a family health project designed to let people gather personal family histories that they can review with their doctors (Collins, Salt Lake City Deseret Morning News, 9/25).