Black Women and Health Disparities

By ​Dr. Keisha Tate

 Hey You, Black Woman!

Recently, I along with six other black female doctors wrote a book titled, The Black Woman’s Health O Pedia. We could no longer sit on the sidelines and watch our sisters succumb to health conditions that could possibly be eradicated with the proper knowledge, resources, and guidance. With alarming statistics like the ones below, it is time we RISE UP and share our knowledge and expertise to help our sisters.

According to the CDC:
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• A black woman is 22 percent more likely to die from heart disease than a white woman

 

• A black woman is 243 percent more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth related causes

 

•  A black woman is 71 percent more likely to perish from cervical cancer

 

• In a national study of five medical complications that are common causes of maternal death and injury, black women were TWO to THREE times more likely to die than white women who had the same condition

Without a doubt, ‘Houston, we have some problems! These statistics are startling and something MUST be done to address these health disparities.  For decades, these imbalances have persisted and continue to grow.
It is truly alarming that regardless of socioeconomic status and economic advantages these inequalities still exist. Think about this for a moment. Some might recall when Serena Williams delivered her baby. She informed her medical providers that something was wrong with her. They dismissed her and told her that the pain medication was making her confused. It was discovered that she had several blood clots that could have been detrimental to her life.  Another very prominent person, Dr. Shalon Irving who happened to be an Epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, died from complications of hypertension just a few weeks after giving birth. Like Serena, Dr. Irving informed her medical team that something was wrong, but they continued to dismiss her concerns.  

These are not isolated incidents. 

Over and over again we hear of black women who are feeling invisible when interacting with their medical providers.  Oftentimes, these providers have equated being “Black” with being uneducated, unworthy, noncompliant, or poor.

Clearly, the subconscious biases that are embedded in the medical system continue to affect the quality of care for black women. Enough is enough!  We decided to change the course of these types of outcomes. 
This book is our Love Letter to the Black Woman! We wrote this book as a response to the health disparities in the African-American communities of the United States. In particular, it was written to address some of those disparities that greatly impact the health and the lives of Black Women.

Black Woman, we want you to know that ……..
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we SEE you,
we HEAR you,
we LOVE you,
we ARE you!

Get your book today!
Ebook  on Amazon: drkeshiatate.com
Paperback, Workbook & Notebook: https://gum.co/docofhealthandwealth