Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD Black men suffer disproportionately from a number of preventable diseases and die earlier than white men. Talking about black men’s health and is crucial.
Black Men’s Health
In America, black men live about 4 years less on average than white men. Over 40% of black men are over weight. Black men suffer disproportionately from diabetes and prostate cancer, and death rates from heart disease for black men are nearly twice that for white men.
When it comes to death from heart attacks, black men are twice as likely as white men to die from a first heart attack. Many of the top causes of death in black men are largely preventable with education, appropriate screening and access to the right resources.
Top Causes of Death in Black Men
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
- Injuries
- Stroke
- Homicide
- Diabetes
Obstacles to Health Equity
There are many, many factors that play a role in the poorer health and greater risk of premature death in black men. The stress of daily racism, whether overt or experienced as microagressions can take a toll on the health of black men. Couple this with factors such as economic inequality, lack of quality care, lack of trust in the health system, incarceration, and environmental factors like living in food deserts or lacking safe places to exercise.
All of these factors compound, daily, and can (and do) lead to increased illness and mortality in black men. Sounds pretty depressing…but knowing what you’re up against is half the battle. We can’t fight our enemy if we don’t address it head on.
Improving Health Outcomes
To improve health outcomes for black men, we must openly discuss black men’s health and existing obstacles and barriers. It’s important that black men have outlets to freely discuss the stresses of their daily lives, whether it be men’s groups, church groups or other organizations that support and champion black men.
There are efforts like The Black Men’s Health Project that are actively working to improve the health outcomes of black men. It’s important to spread the word about these organizations and support them. We can encourage men that we care about to prioritize their own health, eat healthfully, see their doctors regularly and exercise.
We must not stigmatize mental illness and depression. These are real factors in the African American community and among black men. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in blacks ages 15-24. We must encourage those that are experiencing emotional and mental issues to seek help. Depression is a disease.
Screenings and Check Ups
Regular visits to the doctor should not be ignored. Black men should be familiar with health screening recommendations, and if their doctor isn’t discussing these screenings with them, they should bring them up, or find a doctor that prioritizes the importance of prevention and catching illness early. Immunizations, STD screening, colon cancer screening, cholesterol screening and prostate screening tests are just a few of the examples of regular screenings and tests that should be prioritized.
Featured Image: Richard 2.0 via Flickr
