African American Health Disparities

Increase Awareness During Black History Month

WHAT:
Health Disparities among African Americans when compared to other American
citizens were first identified by W.E.B Du Bois in the 1800s. The distinct and
often dramatic differences in health status persist in 2008.

-- Heart Disease
In 2004, the death rate for heart disease was about 30 percent higher for
African Americans (280.6 per 100,000 population) than for white Americans.
(213.3 per 100,000 population).

-- Cancer
In 2004, the death rate for malignant neoplasm disease was about 20 percent
higher for African Americans (227.2 per 100,000 population) than for white
Americans. (184.4 per 100,000 population).

-- Stroke
In 2004, the death rate for cerebrovascular disease was about 50 percent
higher for African Americans (69.9 per 100,000 population) than for white
Americans (48.0 per 100,000 population).

-- Diabetes
In 2004, the death rate for diabetes was more than twice as high for African
Americans (48.0 per 100,000 population) as for white Americans (22.3 per
100,000 population).

-- Unintentional Injuries
In 2004, the death rate for unintentional injuries was more than twice as high
for African Americans (36.3 per 100,000 population) as for white Americans
(15.6 per 100,000 population).

Media have recently focused on several high profile cases of tuberculosis (TB)
when TB has been a growing problems among African Americans for sometime. In
2005, the majority (82 percent) of all reported TB cases in the United States
occurred in racial and ethnic minorities. The rate of TB in black,
non-Hispanics was 8 times higher than the rate of TB in white non-Hispanics
(10.8 cases per 100,000 in blacks, versus 1.3 cases per 100,000 in whites)
with the geographic concentration of TB in African-Americans is in the
Southeast and Northeast.

During the month of February, Black History Month, the spotlight is more
focused on the issues that impact and reflect on African Americans. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would like to take advantage
of this time period to strongly encourage and support efforts to increase
awareness of the health issues that disproportionately affect African
Americans throughout the year.

WHO:
Dr. Darwin Labarthe, director of the Division of Heart Disease and Stroke,
will talk about how using spices, herbs, and salt-free seasons can reduce
sodium in- take and lower the risk for high blood pressure, a major risk
factor for heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure and kidney disease.

Bob German, associated director for science in the Division of Cancer
Prevention and Health Promotion can discuss how African Americans experience
disproportionate rates of cancer incidence and resulting deaths. Among men,
for all cancers combined, the incidence and death rates are highest among
blacks. The cancer incidence rates for women are highest among whites, but the
cancer death rates are highest among black women.

Dr. Kevin Fenton, director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS can address why
blacks account for roughly half of the more than 1 million Americans living
with HIV and half of all people newly diagnosed with HIV infection each year,
while representing just 13 percent of the population; and how everyone can
take steps to act against the HIV crisis in the black community through
increased awareness, communication and testing.

Dr. Ann Albright, director of the Division of Diabetes Translation, can talk
about preventing diabetes, the sixth leading cause of death in the United
States with a prevalence rate that more than doubled among African-Americans
from 1980 to 2005, from 3.3 to 6.8. It is estimated that, among Americans aged
20 and older, more than 20 million have diabetes, of which more than 3 million
are African-Americans.

Dr. Paul Juarez of the National Injury Prevention Center can highlight a blue
ribbon panel to increase seat belt use among African Americans. One of the
leading causes of unintentional injury death among African American children
ages 0-19 are motor vehicle crashes. If all African Americans buckled up, it
could save 1,300 lives annually, and prevent 26,000 serious injuries.

WHEN: February and throughout the year

WHERE: At your desk and just a phone call away!

For more information:

http://www.mappingdubois.org/files/RWJHSS_proposal.pdf

http://www.cdc.gov/omhd/Populations/BAA/BAA.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/tb/TBinAfricanAmericans/default.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/tb/TBinAfricanAmericans/background.htm.

CONTACT: CDC Division of Media Relations, +1-404-639-3286

/PRNewswire-USNewswire - Feb. 29/

SOURCE Centers for Disease Control and Prevention