Study finds younger blacks have more heart failure

[Number23]

Snip:

One in 100 black men and women develop heart failure before age 50, according to one of the first long-term studies to look at the life-threatening condition in younger adults. The research suggests blacks in that age group suffer the condition at a rate 20 times higher than whites do — an astounding difference more pronounced than earlier studies had indicated.

Article here

Who would have thought that the lasting impact of racism and racial discrimination which leads to:

1) significant reductions in the quality of medical care from birth through old age (if you can make it);
2) decreased expectations of success and achievement from school through to the work force and the stress that brings;
3) disproportionate sentencing for the same crimes;
4) the reduced ability to secure adequate housing regardless of income and education
5) and the general overall cluelessness of fairly large swaths of the "dominant" culture would have an adverse affect on black people????

:eyes: :crazy: :mad: :eyes: :crazy: :mad: :eyes: :crazy: :mad:

[Brewman_Jax]

1. Study: Medical Students Show Racial Bias

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/07/09/virtual.patient.bias/index.html

Another PC post has appeared in GD, and, of course, the same white-whining complainers and complaints have appeared. Hopefully, that post will sink quickly to the bottom. With real life-and-death possibilities due to racial bias, whines of PC really become trivial.

[Number23]

3. That was a good read. Thanks, Brew

whines of PC really become trivial.

As do the obligatory whines of "it's not about race. It's about class!!1!" Even when confronted with irrefutable data about the far-reaching effects of racism, they still refuse to see what's right in front of them.

Here was a good article about the NAACP condemning racism in housing. You can see the fantastic response it got here - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=5249633 :eyes:

[Brewman_Jax]

5. I see what you mean

They pass on incidents of actual racism and racial bias, but they'll scream bloody murder because they can't call black people n****** like the rappers do. The height of LW progressive/liberal hypocrisy: they hate rap and rappers, wish that the earth would swallow them all, wouldn't have them as neighbors, probably couldn't name a single current rapper, but will fight to the death for right to do what they get to do--use the n-word. :eyes:

It would be laughable, if it wasn't so damned sad. :(

[kwassa]

2. well, just to talk about some relatives .....

My FIL has had huge medical problems because of poor dietary practices and a complete lack of exercise. He is obese, has developed adult-onset diabetes, had festering wounds on his feet that had him hospitalized for a couple months, has complete renal failure and is on dialysis. Despite all this, he refuses to change his lifestyle. Now in his mid-sixties, I don't expect him to live 5 years.

Most of the extended family on that side is very overweight. One son of a cousin is over 400 pounds and gaining, in his mid-20s. His girlfriend is almost as big, and they now have a little baby.

I think people need to look at their personal lifestyle, too, and see what their responsibility is in all this.

A great-aunt who created a different lifestyle died just short of 102 years old.

[Number23]

4. There's no question that personal lifestyle plays a role

Have you ever seen one of Essence magazine's Age issues?? It's nothing like Vogue, which considers it daring to use blue-eyed blonde 35-year olds instead of the usual blue-eyed blonde 18 years olds.

The Essence issue has women in their 50's, 60's and sometimes well into their 80's and some of those women look nothing short of FANTASTIC. Perfect skin, beautiful figures and absolutely radiant smiles. And many of them say that lifelong habits of eating right and exercising is what's contributed to their good health. My family is from the South, so eating right often takes a back seat to good-tasting food and we've had our share of health problems as a result as well.

But I think we would be missing a key element if we don't take into account the impact of stress into all of this, and that's all racism is -- stress. The article in my OP didn't mention the age and weight of these people so it may be safe to assume that they are of average weight and physical health. And for black folks under 50 to be having heart trouble 20 times that of whites is scary as hell to me.

[kwassa]

6. I think I saw a similar article in Ebony

with incredible-looking older people. It was hard to believe some of them were as old as they were.

I don't think it is safe to assume that the study subjects are of average weight and physical health, it does not say so in the article, only that they started out that way. There is not a lot of detail in this study, and to me, lots of unanswered questions.

The article stresses that more research needs to be done. It also says that 3 out of 4 black patients who knew they had high blood pressure did not seek treatment for this. I wonder why this is as well. Did they lack health insurance? Did they simply not go?

The reason I bring up the relatives is that many cook and eat in that old Southern style, when they are not eating fast food. That Southern food is high in saturated fat. They also like to eat a lot.

I also have to say that most of the white people in this geographic area tend to be big, too. Rural Eastern shore of Maryland, a fairly backwards area.

Whatever it is, more research definitely needs to focus on this to find out more clearly what the reasons are.

[Number23]

7. Well, we do know that historically black people are no fan of doctors

The issue is two-pronged, I think. There is the fear and distrust that many people feel about doctors, and black folks may be even more predisposed to that way of thinking (the Tuskeegee Experiment surely did not help in that regard) and the fact that it is documented, not only in this article but in the one that Brewman referenced and countless others, that blacks simply do not receive the quality of care from health care practitioners that whites do. Also, the cost of health care in this country should also not be ruled out as a reason that many blacks aren't going to the doctor.

There is less pre-screening for blacks, less testing done, and blacks are less likely to receive the treatment they need to overcome whatever it was they went to the doctor for in the first place. If you didn't think you would get the help that you need, or be able to afford it, what's the point of running to the doctor in the first place??