Challenges Facing African American Health
African Americans commonly referred to as Black Americans are an ethnic group that
trace its origin from enslaved black people. ,The number of African Americans is approximately
48.8 million which represents 14.6% of the United States population (2018). African American population is the second least healthy ethnic group after Latinos in the United States of America. According to a report by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2014), the major cause of disparities in the American healthcare system is racial
discrimination and ethnicity.
The report observes that race and ethnicity are the leading
determinant of the nature and quality of treatment. The disparity in the American healthcare
system has contributed to the high mortality and illness rate among African Americans. Past
efforts to reduce the racial disparities in the American health system have proved futile because
African Americans still face challenges in accessing healthcare today. This paper attempts to
explain the challenges faced by African Americans in accessing healthcare and how they can be
reduced. The paper will argue that the current disparity in America’s healthcare system
pose challenges to African Americans, thus it is time to implement a non-discriminative system. African Americans’ challenges in healthcare
Challenges Facing African American Health
African Americans face discrimination in healthcare. This affects their treatment for diabetes, breast cancer, and heart diseases. For example, they are 10 times more likely to undergo a limb amputation due to diabetes compared to white Americans.
Research shows that the hospitalization rate for diabetic African Americans is three times higher than that of white Americans. Additionally, the mortality rate for African American women with breast cancer is 50 percent higher than for white women. These disparities highlight serious inequities in healthcare treatment.
African Americans face discrimination in healthcare. This issue affects their treatment for diabetes, breast cancer, and heart diseases. For instance, African Americans are 10 times more likely to undergo a limb amputation due to diabetes compared to white Americans.
Research indicates that the hospitalization rate for diabetic African Americans is three times higher than that of white Americans. Additionally, the mortality rate for African American women with breast cancer is 50 percent higher than for white women. These factors highlight the significant challenges African Americans encounter in accessing quality healthcare. APA