This year, your AAFP’s National Minority Health Month focuses on preventive services for minority populations, and is providing you resources about diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and immunizations for ethnic and racial minorities.
Did you know that according to the DHHS' Office of Minority Health ...
2008 National Minority Health Month - April
- Although African American children aged 19 to 35 months had comparable rates of immunization for hepatitis, influenza, MMR, and polio, they were slightly less likely to be fully immunized, when compared to non-Hispanic white children 2005.
- African American adults were 30% more likely than their white adult counterparts to have a stroke. (Read more about health disparities among African Americans.)
- In recent years, Mexican American adults were 2 times more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to have been diagnosed with diabetes by a physician. (Read more about health disparities among Mexican and Hispanic Americans.)
- In 2003, American Indian/Alaska Native adults were 2.3 times as likely as white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes. (Read more about health disparities among American Indians/Alaska Natives.)
- Although data on the number of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans who have diabetes are limited, studies show that type 2 diabetes is a growing problem among some groups within this population. For example, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is 2 to 3 times higher among Japanese Americans living in Seattle compared with non-Hispanic whites. The prevalence is 2.5 times higher among Native Hawaiians compared to white residents of Hawaii. (Read more about health disparities among Asian Americans/Pacific Islander Americans.)
For You: Providing Preventive Care
-- Information and links to organizations specifically interested in helping physicians provide care for culturally diverse popuations.
For Your Patients: Information About CVD and Diabetes
-- Information for patients about diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
