; and (ii) organizations, facilities, and institutions that have a history of working within and serving such communities. (2) Eligible area An area is eligible to be designated as a health empowerment zone under this section if one or more communities in the area experience disproportionate disparities in health status and health care. In determining whether a community experiences such disparities, the Secretary shall consider data collected by the Department of Health and Human Services focusing on the following areas: (A) Access to affordable, high-quality health services. (B) The prevalence of disproportionate rates of certain illnesses or diseases including the following: (i) Arthritis, osteoporosis, chronic back conditions, and other musculoskeletal diseases. (ii) Cancer. (iii) Chronic kidney disease. (iv) Diabetes. (v) Injury (intentional and unintentional). (vi) Violence (intimate and nonintimate). (vii) Maternal and paternal illnesses and diseases. (viii) Infant mortality. (ix) Mental illness and other disabilities. (x) Substance use disorder treatment and prevention, including underage drinking. (xi) Nutrition, obesity, and overweight conditions. (xii) Heart disease. (xiii) Hypertension. (xiv) Cerebrovascular disease or stroke. (xv) Tuberculosis. (xvi) HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. (xvii) Viral hepatitis. (xviii) Asthma. (xix) Tooth decay and other oral health issues. (C) Within the community, the historical and persistent presence of conditions that have been found to contribute to health disparities including any such conditions respecting any of the following: (i) Poverty. (ii) Educational status and the quality of community schools. (iii) Income. (iv) Access to high-quality affordable health care. (v) Work and work environment. (vi) Environmental conditions in the community, including with respect to clean water, clean air, and the presence or absence of pollutants. (vii) Language and English proficiency. (viii) Access to affordable healthy food. (ix) Access to ethnically and