Showing posts with label African Americans Covid-19. Show all posts
Showing posts with label African Americans Covid-19. Show all posts

Saturday, September 05, 2020

58% of African Americans Say They Won't Take COVID-19 Vaccine



A recent survey on Blackdoctor.org (BDO) revealed a staggering 58% of the respondents wouldn't take a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as it's available. In addition to 58% saying "no" to the vaccine, 22% reported they would take the vaccine, but had "concerns". In total, 80% of respondents either said "no" or had "concerns" regarding taking a COVID-19 vaccine with the majority saying "no" because they "didn't trust the healthcare system". For any vaccine to work and be validated, it needs to create herd immunity, which is a protective effect created by a significant portion of a community being vaccinated. That leads to the question, "How can the results of a vaccine be considered valid without being taken by the population most affected by it?" 
Black Americans represent a disproportionate number of positive cases and deaths associated with coronavirus. These facts make it logical for Black Americans to want to receive a vaccination as soon as it's available. Unfortunately, there is a long history of distrust between Black Americans and the medical community. This distrust gets exacerbated when the government is involved in the research, creation, and dissemination of the vaccine.
BDO recognizes this distrust is real and warranted. From the Tuskegee Experiment, to Henrietta Lacks, to general biases causing misdiagnosis, Black Americans don't use medical care as frequently as mainstream America. This lack of engagement has shown to be consistent, regardless of age or socioeconomic status. To overcome distrust and get more Black Americans to engage in new treatments or vaccinations, BDO recommends the following:
  • Information must appear on a trusted platform
  • Messaging must be authentic, and the experts should look like them
  • Content must also be based on Black Americans' truths
BDO strives to end racial inequities in medicine and disseminate cultural specific information to its vast database. Any illness or condition affecting Black Americans receives full attention based on the Black patient journey, and provides relevant tips and strategies on how to live a happy and healthy life. BDO will effort to show its audience how to protect themselves from COVID-19. For more information, go to Blackdoctor.org.
BDO is the leading health and wellness destination for people of color. Since 2005, they have leveraged culture, content and technology to transform people's lives for the better. Editorially, BDO shares culturally relevant tips and strategies on health, wellness, lifestyle and longevity. BDO is where wellness and culture connect!"

Monday, April 06, 2020

African Americans more likely to die from coronavirus illness

Early data from U.S. states shows African Americans are more likely to die from COVID-19, highlighting longstanding disparities in health and inequalities in access to medical care, experts said.

In Illinois, black people make up about 30% of the state's cases and about 40% of its coronavirus-related deaths, according to statistics provided by the state's public health agency. However, African Americans make up just 14.6% of the state's population.

In Michigan, black people account for 40% of the state's reported deaths, according to data released by the state, but its population is only 14% African American.

The World Health Organization has said people with pre-existing conditions like asthma and other chronic lung disorders, diabetes and heart disease appear to develop serious illness more often than others.

That makes the virus particularly dangerous for African Americans, who because of environmental and economic factors have higher rates of those illnesses, said Dr. Summer Johnson McGee, dean of the School of Health Sciences at the University of New Haven.

McGee said she was not surprised the U.S. black population is experiencing a worse outcome during the pandemic. Racism has led to a lack of investment in African American communities and worse health care for the population in general, McGee said.

"A pandemic just magnifies the disparities in healthcare that many communities of color face," she said.

[SOURCE: MSN]