MISSION
The Black Health Initiative by Cardio Miracle is dedicated to listening, learning and leading the way in the discovery of health and wellness issues unique to black communities.
creating wellness from vulnerabilities
While it is important to note that disease prevalence can vary within populations and individuals, some of the health conditions that disproportionately affect Black Americans include:
Despite having lower rates than white people, Black people in the United States are 30% more likely to die from heart disease.
2.
Obesity
Black adults in the United States are 30% more likely to have obesity than white adults. This disparity is even greater for children and teens (50%) and women (50%).
3.
Diabetes
Black adults in the United States are twiceTrusted Source as likely as white adults to develop type 2 diabetes. That’s when your body can’t produce enough insulin to keep your blood sugar levels down.
4.
High Blood Pressure
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), 55%Trusted Source of Black adults in the United States have high blood pressure (hypertension). That’s one of the highest rates in the world.
5.
Stroke
A stroke occurs when enough blood can’t get to your brain, usually due to a blockage in an artery. As with other conditions relating to cardiovascular health, Black adults in the United States are more likelyTrusted Source to have strokes and more likely to die from them.
6.
Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a rare genetic disease that affects hemoglobin in your red blood cells. It affects how much oxygen your red blood cells can deliver to your organs and tissues.
7.
Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS)Trusted Source, Black people in the United States have higher death rates and shorter survival rates than any other racial group for most cancers.
8.
Kidney Disease
According to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), Black people in the United States are more than three times as likely as white people to have kidney failure. They attribute this to higher rates of risk factors in People of Color. Such risk factors include diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.
It is important to address these health disparities and work towards equitable access to healthcare, improved preventive care, and culturally competent interventions to reduce the burden of these diseases on Black Americans.
As we launch our effort to investigate and learn more about existing science and research in these conditions, it is important to work toward understanding factors that contribute to greater prevalence of these conditions in Black communities and how we can improve health outcomes and prevention.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
1930
1930s Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment: A1932 to1972 clinical study in which hundreds of African American men were deliberately denied treatment for syphilis.
1940
1940s Henrietta Lacks: An African American woman whose cancer cells were taken without consent and used to develop the first immortal cell line.
1950
1950s The “Mississippi Appendectomy”: A term used to describe involuntary sterilization of poor, black, women from 1920-1980 who were deemed unfit to reproduce.
1960
1960s The Philadelphia Negro Study: A study conducted in which African American mothers were sterilized without informed consent through medication to prevent pregnancy.
1970
1970s Denial of Care: Denial of medical care to African Americans was prevalent throughout the 20th century.
1980
1980s Poor Representation of African American Physicians: African Americans made up less than 5% of all physicians in the US.
1990
1990s Disparities in Care: African Americans were experiencing disparities in care compared to white Americans, including delays in diagnosis, inadequate pain management, and lack of access to specialty care.
2000
2000s Lack of Diversity in Clinical Trials: African Americans were underrepresented in clinical trials, meaning medications and treatments developed were not tailored to their needs.
2010
2010s Racial Segregation: Racial segregation in healthcare was and is still rampant in the United States.
2020
2020s COVID: Black communities and how COVID affects them specifically were ignored and risk mitigation was negligent. African Americans are also more likely to suffer from mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety.
