Health Disparities Worsening in Minorities

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, the health differences among minorities are worsening. Despite government efforts to address disparities in the past decade, beginning with President Clinton’s 1998 Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Initiative, there has been very little progress. African-Americans have more disease, disability, and early death than Caucasians.

The statistics are alarming:

– African-Americans are 1.6 times more likely to have diabetes than
non-Latino Caucasians.(American Diabetes Association)

– African-Americans have higher death rates for coronary heart disease
(CHD), coronary artery disease (CAD), and stroke.(American Heart Association Statistical Fact Sheet)

– The prevalence of high blood pressure among African-Americans is among
the highest in the world.(American Heart Association Statistical Fact Sheet)

– There is an estimate that 80% of black women and 60% of black men are
overweight or obese (which contributes to heart disease, certain
cancers, high blood pressure, diabetes among other chronic health
conditions). (Black Enterprise May 2007).

– African-American women are 3 times more likely to have lupus than
Caucasian women. (US Dept of Health and Human Services, 2008)

– African-Americans are 38% less likely to get joint replacement to
alleviate chronic joint pain than Caucasians.(MMWR Weekly, Centers For Disease Control – February 20, 2009 )

(photo credit: Newscom)