Feb. 2, 2022
Lee Health Works to Reduce Health Disparities
This year’s theme for Black History Month focuses on Black Health and Wellness. While there is much to celebrate this month with all of the contributions from and in the Black community, there also are many health disparities still present in communities of color.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading causes of death for Black adults are heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Almost half of all Black adults have some form of cardiovascular disease – about 2 out of every 5 Black adults have high blood pressure, and less than half of them have it well-controlled, which can lead to heart attacks and stroke.
Cancer also leads to more deaths of Black people compared to other races and ethnicities. Black women have the highest death rates of all racial and ethnic groups when it comes to breast cancer, likely due to fewer social and economic resources that impact access to timely and high-quality care and treatment. Prostate cancer, for reasons currently unknown, starts younger and grows faster in Black men.
Obesity is an underlying factor in the Black community that impacts overall health and increases the risk for other serious medical conditions. The CDC reports that Black people are nearly 1.5 times as likely to have obesity compared to non-Hispanic Whites.
Black people also remain disproportionately affected by HIV. The CDC reports that in 2018, Black people accounted for 42% of the new HIV infections.
Locally, within our own community, we see similar health disparities. According to the 2020 Lee County Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), residents in the Black community disproportionally struggle with diabetes, multiple cardiovascular risk factors, three or more chronic conditions and meeting recommended nutrition guidelines.
Using data from the CHNA, Lee Health pinpointed opportunities to remove barriers to care, while empowering people to take control of the aspects of their health that can make the most impact in overall wellness. Throughout 2020 and 2021, we did that through health-related outreach, working directly in the community and cultivating partnerships with the Lee County NAACP, Mount Hermon Ministries and the Quality Life Center of SWFL to reach even more people. Together with these partners and others, we continue to find ways to support, encourage and empower health and wellness in the Black community.
An exciting new example of this is our collaboration with Utopia Unisex Salon where we have trained community volunteers available to provide health tips, educational information and support accessing medical care. Upcoming programs at Utopia Unisex Salon focus on STD prevention (see box for specifics), physical activity (10 a.m.-noon, March 5) and positive social connections (10 a.m.-noon, April 2). For more information about these events, call Utopia Unisex Salon at 239-337-7574.
Feb. 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Lee Health is joining the Florida Department of Health, McGregor Clinic, Utopia Unisex Salon and community volunteers to hold an event emphasizing the importance of getting tested and knowing your HIV status. Along with free HIV testing, there also will be:
- Free blood pressure screenings
- Educational information
- Help connecting with a primary care provider
- Assistance scheduling doctor appointments
Date and Time: Feb. 5, 10 a.m.-noon
Address: Utopia Unisex Salon, 3069 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Fort Myers