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Around the globe, race and ethnicity play a role in people's health and wellness. Genetics may predispose some minorities to chronic health conditions and culture or lifestyle may also be a factor. But we must also consider health disparities among minority groups. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines health disparities as preventable differences in health outcomes that affect socially disadvantaged groups.
Health Disparities Amongst Minority Groups
The Baton Rouge Clinic explains these disparities which include “less access to quality health care, social and economic disadvantages, increased risk of disease from environmental exposure at work or home, and discrimination and/or mistrust in the health care system.” The National Library of Medicine reports, “More than 133 million Americans (45% population) have one or more chronic diseases. Racial/ethnic minorities are 1.5 to 2.0 times more likely than whites to have most of the major chronic diseases.” Due to these inequities, these are the most common chronic conditions for minorities:
Obesity
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health:
- In the United States, African American women have the highest overweight and obesity rates as compared to other demographic groups. About 4 out of 5 African American women are overweight or obese.
- In 2018, non-Hispanic blacks were 1.3 times more likely to be obese as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
- From 2015-2018, non-Hispanic black females were 2.3 times more likely to be overweight as compared to non-Hispanic white females.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic condition common for minorities that affects how your body produces insulin, which helps you to turn food into energy. This condition can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. There is not a cure yet for diabetes, but weight loss, a healthy diet and exercise all help.
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health include:
- In 2019, non-Hispanic blacks were twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to die from diabetes.
- In 2018, African American adults were 60 percent more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes by a physician.
Heart Disease and Hypertension
The CDC defines heart disease as “several types of heart conditions. The most common type of heart disease in the United States is coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD affects the blood flow to the heart. Decreased blood flow can cause a heart attack.” The Cleveland Clinic reports, “47% of Black adults have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, compared with 36% of white adults,” despite this being the leading cause of death in the United States.
Kidney Disease
Kidneys remove waste products and extra water from your body, help make red blood cells, keep your bones healthy and help control blood pressure. Kidney Disease deeply impacts these functionalities. It can result from other conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, or other health problems.
The National Kidney Foundation reports “33% of American adults are at risk for kidney disease” but “Black or African Americans are more than 3 times as likely and Hispanics or Latinos are 1.3 times more likely to have kidney failure compared to White Americans.”
Cancer
The National Cancer Institute defines the disease as “one in which some of the body's cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body.” There are over 100 types of cancer that can affect almost any part of the body.
According to the Baton Rouge Clinic:
- Black American males are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate, lung and colon cancer. They are also more likely to die from these common cancers.
- Compared to other populations, American Indians and Alaska Natives face a higher risk of being diagnosed with kidney cancer and dying from the disease.
- This same group, as well as Asians and Pacific Islanders are more likely to get liver cancer.
These staggering statistics not only predict those minorities more likely to contract various diseases and conditions, but can also often predict survival outcomes. The CDC reminds us, “Health disparities are inequitable and are directly related to the historical and current unequal distribution of social, political, economic, and environmental resources.” For more information on health conditions impacting black communities, specifically, check out this article.
