With advancements in health and nutrition, people are living longer than ever. Yet some diseases continue to plague people. For those in the African-American community, some conditions affect them at a higher rate than those of other ethnic groups. The diseases themselves and the reasons behind them vary, but they all have definite, and in some cases, life-threatening consequences. Often, proper nutrition and a doctor's care can help treat or prevent them from becoming a problem.
AIDS
In the nearly 30 years since the first AIDS cases were reported the virus has become a worldwide epidemic. Despite AIDS-related education programs increasing, the spread of the disease has still been staggering. Even more staggering are the numbers of AIDS cases in the African-American community.
As recently as 2006, Black Americans made up 45 percent of new AIDS cases despite being just 13 percent of the population. That same year, gay and bisexual black men under the age of 30 accounted for more new HIV cases than any other race or age group.
The death rate among African-Americans was also disproportionately large in 2006. While the number of total deaths dropped by nearly 14 percent from the previous year, the number still represented more than half of the HIV- and AIDS-related deaths in the United States.
Asthma
While not all of the causes for asthma are known, the condition has affected the African-American and Hispanic communities more than any other. Some studies have suggested that genetics play a large role in a person's susceptibility to asthma, with people of African descent being more likely to suffer. It is also known that children from poor families are generally exposed to more asthma-causing agents like cigarette smoke and other airborne pollutants.
What is undeniable is that African-American children are two-and-a-half times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma symptoms and are seven times more likely to die from asthma than their white counterparts.
Coronary Heart Disease
African-Americans are less likely to be diagnosed with heart disease compared to other ethnic groups, but are more likely to die from it. Traditionally, diet has been a main contributing factor. Blacks have historically enjoyed high-fat, high-cholesterol diets featuring greasy, salty fried foods. Additionally, African-Americans have a higher rate of obesity, with black women being almost twice as likely to be severely overweight as their white counterparts.
Diabetes
Diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases in the African-American community. More than 2.5 million black men and women over the age of 20 are affected, with one-third of them unaware of it. Nearly a quarter of all African-Americans over the age of 65 suffer from diabetes as well.
As with asthma, researchers have tried to establish a link between genetics and diabetes. Studies have discussed a gene traced back to African immigrants that helped control weight gain during times of famine and times of plenty. But in the U.S., with fewer cycles of famine, weight gain became harder to regulate, making people more susceptible to diabetes. Other factors include diet and a lack of physical activity.
While death rates due to diabetes have declined, African-Americans are still extremely likely to suffer from many of the other consequences of the disease, including kidney failure, blindness and amputations.
Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle cell anemia is a condition in which cells take an abnormal, rigid shape (generally resembling a sickle). Because of the lack of flexibility in the cells, complications ranging from jaundice to stroke and renal failure can occur. The prevalence of the disease in the United States is approximately 1 in 5,000 in the general population, but that number is significantly reduced in African-Americans, with about 1 in 12 carrying the sickle cell trait.
At this point, there is no cure for the condition, but developing treatments have been able to lessen the symptoms and increase life expectancy.
Tags: more likely, African-American community, AIDS cases, black women, ethnic groups
