April 4, 2022
April is National Minority Health Month
The month of April is National Minority Health Month. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, around 36% of the US belongs to a racial or ethnic minority group. (Minority Health and Health Equity - CDC, n.d.) Minorities tend to be diagnosed with a higher proportion of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. National Minority Health Month recognized the importance of prevention, early detection, and treatment of diseases that can occur within minority populations.
Physicians can encourage their patients to:
- schedule annual wellness visits
- attend health fairs and wellness screening events in their communities
- maintain healthy habits such as exercise, stay active, eat healthy, and quit smoking
- seek out educational opportunities through community organizations and social media
To learn more about Medicare-covered services, visit CMS Preventive Services
For More Information
- US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health
- CMS Office of Minority Health
- CMS Mapping Medicare Disparities
- Preventive & Screening Services (medicare.gov)
References
- Minority Health and Health Equity - CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/index.html
- Ellis, R. R. (2020, October 7). Minorities and Chronic Disease: Obstacles to Care. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/minority-health-20/minority-chronic-condition-burden
- Davis J, Penha J, Mbowe O, Taira DA. Prevalence of Single and Multiple Leading Causes of Death by Race/Ethnicity Among People Aged 60 to 70 Years. Prev Chronic Dis 2017;14:160241. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd14.160241