April is National Minority Health Month. This month we would like to highlight health disparities faced by minorities in the United States by sharing some disheartening statistics released by the CDC and SAMHSA.
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- African-Americans make up only 17% of the population, but comprise 32% of COVID-19 related deaths.
- Although overall infant mortality rates have fallen over time, African-American babies are twice as likely to die as White babies.
- Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics are 1.7 times and Native Americans are 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes.
- In 2010, 49% of all HIV-related deaths were among African-Americans. In 2011, the HIV/AIDS diagnosis rate was 15.8 per 100,000 in the general U.S. population, but among African-Americans the rate was 60.4.
- 2017, non-Hispanic Blacks had the highest percentages of opioid-related overdose deaths and total drug deaths attributed to synthetic opioids when compared to other race/ethnicities and the national population.
- African-American adults age 40 and over with diabetes were less likely to receive four recommended services for diabetes than white adults.