National Minority Health Month Is A Call To Action

April is National Minority Health Month. That's the "dry" statement. The impact statement is that-unfortunately-for many in this country, this is more than a phrase. It's a reality that their health and their health care are in crisis. And the sooner more of us understand this, the sooner we can make a genuine effort to implement effective strategies that will address the sad state of affairs many people find themselves in when it comes to their health, and preventing and appropriately treating their diseases. This is about more than high blood pressure and diabetes. It's about heart disease and stroke and cancer and the list goes on. This is about neighborhoods were residents don't have a place to walk or may even have fear of walking outside their homes. This is about people living in communities where they can't find affordable, fresh vegetables and healthier foods. This is about not having access to a regular source of medical care, or getting timely treatment for conditions such as breast cancer which many of us take for granted. It is about assuring equitable and quality treatment once diagnosed. This is about the lack of trained health professionals from these communities who have roots and understanding of their cities, towns and neighborhoods where they might be able to make a real difference in the lives of so many people. From a cancer perspective, the numbers are discomforting: African Americans are more likely to develop and die from cancer than any other racia...
Source: Dr. Len's Cancer Blog - Category: Cancer Authors: Tags: Access to care Breast Cancer Cancer Care Cervical Cancer Colon Cancer Early detection Environment Prevention Screening Survivors Treatment Source Type: blogs