Health Disparity between African Americans and other Groups in the United States

 
There is a significant disparity between African Americans’ health and other groups’ health in the United States. African Americans have higher mortality and morbidity rates for various chronic conditions, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS (Assari, 2018). This disparity is due to various factors, including socioeconomic factors, access to healthcare, and health behaviors. Socioeconomic factors play a significant role in health disparities. African Americans are more likely to live in poverty than other groups, and poverty is associated with poor health. African Americans also have lower levels of education and employment, which are also associated with poor health. (Assari, 2018) African Americans are more likely to live in poverty than any other racial group in the United States, and poverty leads to many problems that make it difficult to access quality healthcare. For example, lack of transportation made it difficult to get to doctor’s appointments or to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions.

In addition, lack of insurance made it difficult to afford to see a doctor or to pay for prescriptions. Health behaviors also play a role in health disparities. African Americans are more likely to engage in risky behaviours, such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, which can lead to health problems (Assari, 2018). African Americans are also more likely to have poor diets and be obese, which can lead to health problems.

African Americans experience racism in several ways, including housing, education, and employment discrimination. Additionally, they are more likely to be stopped and searched by the police and are more likely to be incarcerated. These factors can lead to increased stress levels, which can harm health. Discrimination in housing can lead to increased stress levels for African Americans. Studies have shown that African Americans are more likely to be denied a mortgage than whites, even when controlling for income and credit score, leading to feelings of frustration and powerlessness (Assari, 2018). In addition, African Americans are more likely to live in segregated neighbourhoods with fewer resources than whites, resulting in increased stress levels and a sense of isolation