For Black Men, a One-Hour Doctor Visit Could Be the First Step Toward Optimum Health

By: Michael H. Cottman, BlackAmericaWeb.com

For many African-American men, a one-hour visit to the doctor could be the first step toward a longer life.

"In general, women take more opportunities for primary health care," Dr. David Patterson, a veteran physician based in Washington, D.C., told BlackAmericaWeb.com. "It’s harder to get black men to go to the doctor on a routine basis."

According to health care experts, black men have far worse health than any other racial group in America, and the reasons are both simple and complex. They include racial discrimination, a lack of affordable health services, poor health education, cultural barriers, poverty, employment that does not carry health insurance and insufficient medical and social services catering to black men.

Consider these statistics: Black men live 7.1 years less than other racial groups. They have higher death rates than women for all leading causes of death. They experience disproportionately higher death rates in all the leading causes of death. Black men have a higher incidence and a higher rate of death from oral cancer. Black men are five times more likely to die of HIV/AIDS.

Forty percent of black men die prematurely from cardiovascular disease, compared to 21 percent of white men. Forty-four percent of black men are considered overweight. Twenty-four percent are obese. Black men suffer from more preventable, treatable oral diseases. Black men have a higher incidence of diabetes and prostate cancer. And black men have a high suicide rate.

The state of black men and their health has been an ongoing concern for organizations across the country.

Last year, for example, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation co-sponsored a symposium to address the state of health and wellness of black men and how the issue affects women, families and communities.

"Historically, progress in addressing racial and ethnic health disparities and other minority health issues has resulted from the complicated and often sensitive interplay of research, policy and political action," Rep. Donna Christensen (D-VI) said in a statement.

Also last year, the Illinois Department of Public Health encouraged African-American men to take charge of their health by making better choices and taking advantage of testing for certain diseases and conditions.

"We continue to see disparities in the health of black men," health department director Dr. Eric E. Whitaker said in a statement.

"Black men are suffering from high blood pressure, heart disease, and prostate cancer at higher rates than their counterparts," Whitaker said. "While efforts are being made to provide better access to quality healthcare, black men must also do their part to stay healthy. Eat healthy, exercise, and have routine tests done to ensure you don’t have a problem."

Members of the National Medical Association say they serve a disproportionately high number of patients who are African-American in urban and rural areas. A large number of patients served, they said, are poor, uninsured and under-insured.

Health care professionals say many black men -- especially older black men -- are distrustful of white physicians and will not visit a doctor until it’s too late. The National Medical Association has created a mentoring prorgam "to develop a greater number of African-American residents and students who will become leaders in clinical and academic medicine" in hopes of helping more black patients.

Sadly, homicide is one of the leading causes of death facing black men. Overwhelmingly, blacks men are more likely than whites to die as a result of homicide. Overall, blacks are five times more likely to be murdered than whites and black men under 25 years of age are 15 times more likely to die by homicide than their white counterparts. The murder rate for black males over 25 is nearly seven times that of white males.

Patterson, however, said there are five areas in health care that African American men can control: Diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking and obesity.

And according to Patterson, who has been practicing medicine for 23 years in D.C., black men should get screened for prostate cancer starting at 40 years old, get an annual physical, blood pressure checks and find ways to manage stress. He said stress can exacerbate illnesses such as cancer and other serious diseases.

"African-American men tend to keep things closer to the vest and don’t find ways to relieve stress," Patterson said.