A Spotlight on Healthcare Disparities in African American Communities

Even with promising interventions such as the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, healthcare equality in the U.S. seems like a distant goal. African Americans are still more likely to be burdened with chronic diseases and die prematurely than their white counterparts, thanks to the various healthcare disparities.

Definitely, healthcare inequality isn't a fight to give up on. Yet, we must first understand the factors that continue to widen the gap in healthcare. Below, we shed light on the commonest forms of healthcare disparities that remain a thorn in the flesh of African American communities. 

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Life Expectancy and Mortality Rates

While Black and African Americans in the U.S. live for about 74.9 years, the life expectancy of their white counterparts stands at about 78.5. In truth, this gap has shrunk over the past three decades. However, the U.S. life expectancy plunged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and African Americans saw among the highest drops (2.9 years). While this steep decline was fueled by the coronavirus pandemic, it is a reminder of how African American communities are affected by health disparities.

According to data by the CDC, Black and African American infants are twice as likely to die as white infants. There are 10.8 infant deaths for every 1,000 African American infants and 4.6 deaths for every 1,000 white infants born in the U.S. While it can be argued that the causes of infant mortality are the same for all races, factors like injuries and maternal pregnancy complications among African American mothers may be prevented with access to quality healthcare.

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Burden of Disease: Chronic Conditions and Amputation Rates

Studies show that African American adults are more likely to be diagnosed with a chronic disease at an advanced level and also develop multimorbidity earlier in life compared to their white counterparts. Particularly, Black adults are disproportionately affected by one or more somatic chronic diseases, including arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and lung disease.

Risk factors of chronic disease such as obesity are also more prevalent in Black communities in the U.S. According to the CDC, African American women are the most affected by obesity or being overweight of all ethnic groups in the country. Such are risk factors for more serious conditions such as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which is among the leading causes of lower limb amputation among older adults. In the U.S., major lower limb amputation among African American patients occurs two or three times more frequently than in white patients.

It is possible to prevent the progression of most chronic diseases to the advanced level with early diagnosis and treatment. However, that isn’t always the case for Black and African American patients, mainly, due to their low-income levels and lack of access to quality healthcare. In addition to curtailing mobility and reducing the quality of life, lower limb amputations significantly decrease the life expectancy of African American adults.

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Health Coverage

Health insurance coverage is another area where healthcare disparities in the U.S. are apparent. A 2019 report by the CDC indicated that about 14.3% of African Americans were uninsured, compared to 10.2% of white adults. Further, 3.3% of African American children under the age of 18 didn’t have health insurance coverage.

The enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) saw more than 20 million U.S. residents gain health coverage, with 2.8 million of them being African American. Yet, this ethnic group is still more likely to be uninsured compared to white Americans.

While the average American household spends about 11% of its income on healthcare premiums and other related healthcare costs, this number approaches 20% for African American families. Being among the most economically disadvantaged groups in the country, it is clear why many African American households are still uninsured.

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Mental Health Among African Americans

Studies have consistently shown that racism does more than just impact social stratification – it negatively affects the mental and physical health of African Americans as well. During the early stages of their lives, Black and African Americans are exposed to adverse conditions like unemployment, poverty, lack of access to health care, poor housing, and low-quality education. While the effects are not always immediate, these conditions may culminate in poor mental health.

African Americans are 20% more likely to suffer psychological distress and 50% less likely to receive appropriate counseling or mental health attention. Suicide rates among African American population have also been on the rise, with the most recent spike being registered during the COVID-19 pandemic. What’s worse, mental health issues among African American communities may not be adequately addressed due to the shortage of mental health care providers.

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Access to Quality Healthcare

African American communities are mostly medically underserved. Residential segregation also means that the majority of Black and African American areas are more likely to have fewer hospitals and other health care providers. In cases where healthcare providers are located within these areas, their services tend to be lower-quality.

Due to the lack of primary healthcare providers, many African American communities are served by community health centers, emergency rooms, and community-based providers. While traveling to other geographic areas for better healthcare is an option, African Americans may have a challenge due to low incomes.

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Leveraging Advanced Technology for Amputation Prevention

To bring down the sky-high rates of lower extremity amputation, The Wound Docs is bringing together Black healthcare professionals in the country, including podiatrists, wound care specialists, and vascular surgeons. The Wound Docs is leveraging the power of AI and Advanced Biologics (skin substitutes) to achieve better clinical outcomes in wound care among African American patients.