preview

How Lupus Discriminates Against African-American Women

Good Essays
A woman comes into the hospital complaining of extreme fatigue that does not go away with rest, she has a fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and she has some skin sores and rashes, almost in a butterfly-shaped pattern across her cheeks and nose. After blood and urine tests, the signs and symptoms and physical examination findings leads to the diagnosis of lupus.

Who gets Lupus?
“The majority of people with Lupus are female, and most first develop signs and symptoms of the illness between the ages of 15 and 44.” (S.L.E. Lupus Foundation). Lupus discriminates against African American, Latina, and Native American Women. “African-American women are three times more likely to get Lupus than Caucasian women and the disease is two times more prevalent in Asian-American
…show more content…
Reducing daily stress can help control lupus symptoms. “Today, physicians treat lupus using a wide variety of medicines, ranging in strength from mild to extremely strong. Prescribed medications will usually change during a person’s lifetime with lupus.” (Lupus Foundation of America). A rheumatologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the joints and muscles, usually treats people with lupus. If lupus has caused damage to a particular organ, other specialists will be consulted. a dermatologist for cutaneous lupus, a cardiologist for heart disease, a nephrologist for kidney disease, a neurologist who studies brain and nervous system disease, or a gastroenterologist for gastrointestinal tract disease. A woman with lupus who is thinking about possibly having a baby needs an obstetrician who specializes in high-risk pregnancies. Once a person is diagnosed with lupus a doctor will set up a treatment plan. usually involving trying to reduce inflammation, suppressing the overactive immune system, reducing flares and treating them when they occur, and minimizing damage to any
Get Access