Policy Fails to Deal With Poverty and African American Health

alt src=//rollingout.com/the-test-for-wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/woman_with_apple.jpgFor decades, stakeholders in the ongoing battle for health care reform have failed to acknowledge the connection between poverty and health disparities within the African American community; however, as statistics continue to worsen, few will be able to turn a blind eye to this devastating dilemma.

Recent U.S. Census data indicates that the black poverty rate is steadily increasing and will continue to do so with stagnant job creation. Paradoxically, ailments including heart disease, cancer and diabetes occur at a higher rate within this population. Furthermore, the odds of surviving such ailments significantly decrease within the African American community.


Research shows that African American mothers residing in low income neighborhoods have a higher rate of neonatal and infant mortality — two and three times the rate of white mothers. With respect to breast cancer, despite the overall recent decline in cancer mortality, African American women continue to die from breast cancer at higher rates than white women.

The reality is that economic factors associated with poverty are potentially responsible for these health disparities. Specifically, barriers associated with poverty and injustice in concert with environmental factors result in differential outcomes for African Americans and whites. Barriers related to poverty include a lack of primary care physicians, inadequate health insurance, poor access to health care, racial profiling and discrimination.


The health of African Americans will continue to worsen as long as we have higher rates of poverty. The most disturbing result of the ongoing issue is the fact that African American children are more likely to have a lower-rated health status. As policy fails to address these concerns, the very fruit of the community is suffering.

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