COVID-19 Mortality Disparities A Familiar Report and Lessons We Must Learn in Our Community
Unfortunately, It comes as no surprise that recent reports are showing that the number of deaths from COVID-19 are disproportionately African-American. In cities across the nation, the Black population is increasingly dying from complications as we contract the disease at a rapid rate. Chicago recently reported that 70% of those contracting COVID-19 are African American compared to being 30% of the population. In my hometown Washington DC, 24 people have died from COVID-19 with 14 of them being Black. Louisiana reports 70% of COVID-19 related deaths are African-Americans while they only make up 1/3 of the states population. Unfortunately, health disparities impacting African-Americans is all too familiar and can be attributed to many factors.
Pre-existing conditions increase our vulnerability to contract and succumb to illness. The Black community has a high incidence of high blood pressure and diabetes. Our access to health care challenges our ability to monitor our wellness regularly. We remain deeply concerned about our financial capacity to pay for health services and often choose to stay home rather than seek medical attention. This choice leads to life and death decisions that increase our anxiety and may result in death.
While advocating for women of color to reduce their breast cancer mortality rate, I learned that we wait to seek medical attention. We tend to try home remedies, lay down, or continue to push through symptoms thinking it will go away. Our need to provide for our families despite what we are feeling prods us to keep it moving without concern for our well being. Although I understand and am guilty of this same manner of behavior, I know it is wrong. It is especially crazy when battling COVID-19, which progresses rapidly and is highly contagious. We must move quickly to the nearest clinic or call our doctors if we feel any dis-ease. Our lives are short, and our families and communities rely on our actions to not ignore what could ultimately mean our death.
Finally, we must educate our communities, starting with those within our circles. While we wait for this government to get its act together concerning testing, we cannot unknowingly spread this disease. It is too fierce and too deadly, killing us in rapid numbers. We have a responsibility to our families to do all within our power to guard our health. Social distancing is not tricky. Contacting your physician and isolating yourselves if you have COVID-19 symptoms should not be hard.
When we get through this phase of our lives, we must advocate for better health services for our people. Better health translates beyond medical care and extends to living conditions, reduced unemployment, and access to quality produce and other foods. We must remove our banner of pride when we need help and ask for it. We've earned it and deserve it.
We have to be proactive before we are forced to be inactive. How we live, determines if we live!