HEALTHCARE ISSUES THAT AFFECT AFRICAN AMERICANS DISPROPORTIONATELY

BY LATAGIA COPELAND B.S.,A.S.

HEART DISEASE

▪ Heart disease is the leading cause of death for African Americans.

▪ African Americans are 13% of the population; nearly twice that many die from heart disease each year.

DIABETES

African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as non-Hispanic whites.

Are more likely to suffer serious complications such as end-stage renal disease and amputations of lower extremities.

CANCER

▪ African Americans have the highest mortality rate of any racial or ethnic group for most major forms of cancer.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

African Americans are 40% more likely than non-Hispanic whites to have high blood pressure.

Are also less likely to have their blood pressure under control.

HIV

▪ African Americans make up only 13.6% of the population, but they account for 43% of HIV infection cases. African-Americans are three times more likely to die of asthma than white Americans.

STROKE

▪ African American adults are 60% more likely to have a stroke than their White counterparts.

▪ Are more likely to die or become disabled as a result of a stroke.

OBESITY

▪ African American women have the highest rate of obesity of any group in the US.

▪ About four out of five African American women are overweight or obese.

ASTHMA

▪ African-Americans are three times more likely to die of asthma than white Americans.

SARCOIDOSIS

▪ Deaths from lung scarring are 16 times more common among blacks than among whites.

▪ The disease recently killed former NFL star Reggie White at age 43.

BARRIERS TO HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES

FOOD DESERTS▪ Food deserts literature shows that

those who have better access to supermarkets have lower levels of obesity and related diseases

▪ USDA reports show that segregation by race and income are associated with limited access

▪ One of the most powerful predictors of limited access to food variety in rural communities is socioeconomic disadvantage

UNINSURED

▪ 18% of African Americans under 65 years are without health insurance coverage.

▪ Over 103 million people of color [nationally] suffer disproportionately in the health care system.

▪ A larger share of African Americans and Latinos lack a usual place of health care, and they are less than half as likely as whites to have a regular doctor.

PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS▪ In 45 states across the country, insurance

companies can discriminate against people based on their pre-existing conditions when they try to purchase health insurance directly from insurance companies.

▪ A recent national survey estimated that 12.6 million non-elderly adults - 36 percent of those who tried to purchase health insurance directly from an insurance company in the individual insurance market - were discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition in the previous three years.

▪ One in 10 people with cancer said they could not obtain health coverage, and six percent said they lost their coverage, because of being diagnosed with the disease.

STEPS THAT CAN BE TAKEN ▪ Practice making good food and

beverage choices.

▪ Exercise regularly and practice stress reduction techniques (such as deep breathing and mediation, and prayer).

▪ Utilize and apply for every available insurance option such as (Medicaid /Medicare), employment, and private.

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HTTP://KFF.ORG/DISPARITIES-POLICY/ISSUE-BRIEF/ELIMINATING-RACIALETHNIC-DISPARITIES-IN-HEALTH-CARE-WHAT/

HTTP://WWW.CMSPULSE.ORG/RESOURCE-CENTER/MINORITY-POPULATIONS/AFRICANAMERICANS.HTML

HTTP://WWW.M.WEBMD.COM/A-TO-Z-GUIDES/FEATURES/WHY-7-DEADLY-DISEASES-STRIKE-BLACKS-MOST

HTTP://WWW.NAACP.ORG/PAGES/HEALTH-CARE-FACT-SHEET