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February 1, 2022

February is African American/Black History Month

  • Glaucoma occurs earlier and progresses faster in African Americans. It is considered the leading cause of blindness in African Americans (African Americans and Glaucoma, 2017).
  • More than 40% of African American men and women have high blood pressure (High Blood Pressure and African Americans | American Heart Association, 2016). It tends to develop earlier in life and is often more severe in African Americans.
  • African Americans ages 18-49 are two times as likely to die from heart disease than whites (African American Health | VitalSigns | CDC, 2017).
  • Black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer as compared to white women (Celebrate African American History Month! | Health Equity Features., 2017).
  • Prostate cancer tends to start earlier and grow faster in black men (Celebrate African American History Month! | Health Equity Features., 2017)..
  • African Americans are found to be almost 1.5 times as likely to be obese as compared to non-Hispanic whites (Celebrate African American History Month! | Health Equity Features., 2017).
  • African Americans are at a higher risk for developing prediabetes as well as diabetes.
  • African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes as compared to non-Hispanic whites. 

February is African American/Black History Month. This month honors all the outstanding achievements and accomplishments the African American community has made throughout the past and contributions that this community is making toward the future. It provides an excellent opportunity to focus on and to provide awareness and education about the health issues that affect this community.

Health conditions such as glaucoma, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cancer of the breast and prostate, obesity, and diabetes tend to affect members of the African American community. Many of these health conditions can exacerbate one another. You can increase positive health outcomes for your African American beneficiaries.

  • Encourage your patients to schedule annual wellness visits and health screenings.
  • Monitor your patients' blood pressure levels. Manage and treat accordingly. Educate your patients about the relationship between elevated blood pressure and other chronic health conditions.
  • Monitor your patients' blood glucose levels. Manage and treat accordingly. Educate your patients about the relationship between elevated blood glucose levels and other chronic health conditions.
  • Educate your patients on the importance of healthy habits such as exercising, eating a well-balanced diet including foods that are low in salt, fat, and cholesterol, lowering stress levels, controlling weight (or losing weight if needed), and getting enough sleep.
  • If your patients are smokers, encourage them to quit smoking. Educate your patients on the effects of smoking, cardiovascular disease, and overall health. Medicare covers counseling to prevent tobacco use for those patients that qualify. Discuss this Medicare covered benefit with your patients and encourage them to enroll.
  • Encourage your patients to get their flu shot annually.
  • Encourage your patients to get their pneumococcal shot.

To learn more about Medicare-covered services, visit CMS Preventive ServicesExternal website:

For More Information:

References

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