Hypertension ( Htn ) Is A Major Public Health Issue Affecting 70 Million African American Males Essay

In today’s society, there are many different factors that can contribute to one’s overall health and well-being. Since there are so many different factors that can affect one’s health, there are inequalities that exist among people and this is knows as health disparity. "Health disparities are differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the United States” (Nhlbi.nih.gov, 2015). Health disparities can be associated with factors such as: socioeconomic status, education, gender, race, ethnicity, age, mental health, and religion. There are certain health problems that can affect different groups more than others, such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS (Surgeongeneral.gov, 2015). One example of a specific population in the United States that is affected by health disparities is the African American Population. While African Americans are affected by various health disparities, one that affects this population more prominently is heart disease.

HIV/ AIDS affect African Americans at a higher rate than any other race (White, Asian, and Hispanic). With African Americans making up approximately 13 percent of the U.S. population, in 2014, they made up almost half of all new HIV/AIDS cases; 44 percent. African American men accounted for 73 percent of new HIV/AIDS cases, and of that 43 percent of African American men were heterosexual (CDC 2014). Since heterosexual African American men don’t equate to the larger population of HIV cases as compared to African American men who have sex with men, these heterosexual men are virtually invisible in the theoretical and empirical psychological HIV/AIDS literature (Bowleg, 2004, p.166).

The World Health Center Organization has identified depression as the fourth leading cause of total disease burden and the leading cause of disability worldwide. Research has focused on the role of socioeconomic status and the environmental risk of the underlying cause of these disparities in depression diagnosis and treatment. Research has also proven that African American women have lower rates of diagnosis, treatment, and control of hypertension compared to non-hispanics. Women are twice as likely as men to experience

The socioeconomic status of African-Americans also plays an important part in the health disparity present in this minority group. According to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau, the largest state population of African-Americans is seen in New York at 3.3 million. In 2000, it was estimated that 88% of the United States African-American population lived in Metropolitan areas. A 2007 article in California Law Review entitled Fast Food: Oppression through Poor Nutrition, very plainly points out that the location of most

Health disparities amongst African-Americans continue to destabilize not just the various communities but the health care system as a whole. Minority groups especially African-Americans are more probable to agonize from certain health illnesses, have higher mortality rates and lower life expectancy than another other race in the nation. Health disparities are complex and incorporate lifestyle choices, socioeconomic factors such as income, education and employment and access to care services. For the elimination of health disparities within the African-American community, there requires a need for equivalent access to health care and cultural suitable health ingenuities.

The American Medical Journal explains that the heart disease is one of the deadliest medical conditions. Medical experts reckon that heart disease is a lifestyle disease, which emanates from excessive consumption of the wrong dietary combination. Foods such as fats and carbohydrates often expose individuals to the threat of heart disease. Consuming fast foods from McDonalds also expose people to the threat of heart disease. The most plausible means of mitigating the risk of contacting heart disease is by observing dietary combination. Individuals must keep a balanced diet always in order to avoid dietary concerns later on in life. The most common symptoms include chest discomfort, nausea, trouble sleeping, breathing problems, and unusual tiredness.

The higher incidence of prostate cancer in African American/Black men compared to other racial/ethnic groups is a major health disparity. The statistics surrounding this health disparity are scary, with African American men having a prostate cancer mortality rate twice as high as whites and a prostate cancer incidence two-thirds higher (Modlin, 2012). The health disparity of African American men’s incidence of prostate cancer is a huge problem from a public health perspective because it makes African American men less productive, there are higher costs in the healthcare field than would be if the gap didn’t exist, and a loss of sense of control from African American men because of financial concerns/aftermath of treatment. One behavioral influence

Health disparities are the inequalities that appear in the arrangement of healthcare and approaches to healthcare across different racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and socioeconomic group.

Hypertension is a developing problem worldwide associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In 2020, the world population will be approximately 7.8 billion people, and there will be 1 billon people who may be affected by hypertension (Tomson & Lip, 2005). One in three adults in the United States has high blood pressure. According to the report “Health, United States, 2010 with Special Feature on Death and Dying,” the prevalence of hypertension among adults 20 years old or older increased from 24% to 32% during 1988-1994 and 2005-2008. The African-American population has a higher prevalence of this health condition than white Americans do. In 2005 to 2008, the prevalence of hypertension among black males (41.4%) was more than 10%,

The article, “Trust, Medication Adherence, and Hypertension Control in Southern African American Men,” by Elder and colleagues seeks to examine trust and medication adherence in Southern African American Men with hypertension. The goal of the study is to assess medical trust, medication adherence, and hypertension control and their relationships (Elder et al., 2012). Perceived racism, self-efficacy, and participation in medical decision-making are treated as covariates.

The heart pumps blood into the arteries and the force of the blood pushing against blood vessel walls is called blood pressure. Arteries carry the blood throughout the body. High blood pressure is also know as hypertension and is very dangerous in many different ways. One way is that it makes the heart have to work harder in order to pump the blood to the body. Secondly it contributes to hardening of the arteries and lastly, it also contributes to heart failure. A healthy heart is essential to life and having high blood pressure it not healthy for the heart. It has been proven that there are many different causes that have been linked to high blood pressure.

With a potential total of 150M men worldwide (30M in the United States alone) suffering from medical Erectile Dysfunction, there is a wide range of factors identified as the potential causes:

Erectile dysfunction’ is the failure to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual experience. It affects 150 million men globally. In March1998, Viagra (Sildenafil) was the first oral medication approved for use in ‘erectile dysfunction. Viagra had a very successful launch with a total of 600,000 prescriptions filled in the first month (April 1998), and instantly became a phenomenon for ED patients. Unfortunately, after six months Viagra suffered a huge setback when the FDA received reports of 130 deaths of patients taking Viagra; over half the incidents were cardiovascular related. Viagra

     Today’s society is a sexual playing field. Celebrities on television and movies, models on the covers of magazines, and even politicians have become sexual legends in the map of American society. The issue of sex is publicly discussed, on media and otherwise, and as such, it has become, to a great degree, a measure of self-worth. Issues such as breast size, penis size, and sexual stamina have flooded the American public with the idea that one is defined by how sexually appealing s/he is.

Firstly, age is a valuable dimension due to the strong positive correlation to erectile dysfunction (ED) incidence. Secondly, as shown in the demographic data presented by Lilly ICOS, most men who suffer from ED are either married or living together with their partner. Being the influence of the spouse one of the