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Since April is Minority Health Month, Good Sam Gwinnett Nurse Practitioner Lorraine McDowell talks about three health conditions with significant ethnic disparities. It's important for everyone, no matter your background, to understand your potential risks and let your primary care provider know how you are feeling.

"When it comes to healthcare, everyone is different. Your ethnicity, location, occupation, family history, and other factors put you at differing risks for various health problems. At Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett, we have a diverse patient population, and we know there are many disparities in healthcare that affect people every day. Because it’s Minority Health Month, I wanted to take this opportunity to bring awareness to the disparities in healthcare and talk about the importance of prevention for EVERYONE. Here are three common healthcare disparities (or gaps) we see today.

One: Breast cancer. Did you know there is a disparity in breast cancer? Yes, in fact, death rates are higher for black women than they are for women of other races. The CDC estimates the death rate from breast cancer for black women 26.8 per 100,000 women and 19.2 per 100,000 for white women. The death rates for other racial groups are in the lower teens.

Two: COVID-19. COVID-19 has totally changed our lives—how we how we work and interact in public. In Gwinnett County, 58%* of people are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. However, Hispanics are the least vaccinated in Gwinnett County. Only 42%* are vaccinated. Many organizations are working to make vaccines more accessible in all communities.

Three is heart disease. This is a big disparity. Although heart disease is the leading cause of death for everyone in the United States, it affects African Americans significantly. In Georgia, the death rate for African Americans is 197 per 100,000 people. If you drill down to Gwinnett County, white people have a higher death rate from heart disease if you’re just considering our county alone.

These disparities can be a result of many things, including lack of access to quality care, not having health insurance, not following up on their care, and poor understanding of health conditions. However, the key takeaway here is that prevention is for EVERYONE! No matter what race you are, or where you come from, regular checkups and screenings can benefit you. Make sure you are up to date on your checkups, shots, and screenings, and don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself. If you think something is wrong, tell your primary care provider. We’re mind readers; you know how you’re feeling better than we do. We want to help you! Don’t be afraid to ask questions."

Sources:
- Breast Cancer: [ Ссылка ]
- COVID-19 Vaccination: [ Ссылка ]*
- Heart Disease: [ Ссылка ]
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*Vaccination rate percentages have changed since filming.

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