Conventions Look at African-American Health Disparities

Addressing the convention of the National Baptist Convention USA, a "prominent black denomination," Surgeon General David Satcher last night spoke about the health of African Americans, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports. Satcher told delegates to the convention, whose theme is "Rally for Sobriety ... Health and Wellness for our Communities," "When it comes to the health of our people, let us not be guilty of low aims." On Tuesday, convention delegates were presented with various health statistics, including that blacks have a life expectancy of 64.4 years, compared with 73 years for whites; 35% of blacks are overweight and 47% have high cholesterol; and that black babies have lower birth weights and higher mortality rates than white babies. Satcher also addressed the issue of HIV, which disproportionately affects blacks. He said that while HIV is "generally thought of as a disease of white, gay men," the virus "will go wherever it is taken." Satcher called on churches to help "effect change," saying, "Ministers in the black community have educated from the pulpit for years. We believe they have a major role to play in helping people change their lifestyles and also helping people get access to quality health care." Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund, also addressed the delegates, urging them to support federal legislation that would ensure that all children have health insurance (AP/Las Vegas Sun, 9/4).

In related news, a three-day conference in Detroit is calling for blacks to have equal access to health care. Michigan state Sen. Raymond Murphy (D), the conference's sponsor, said, "We hope to educate blacks in becoming healthier. There are disparities in health care and insurance. We need to look at the system and make it equal. We need to get black men going to the doctor for checkups. We need to look at diabetes, heart attacks and cancer. We need to look at the entire problem." Thursday, the first day of the conference, will be aimed at health professionals and policy makers and will focus on changing health policy. Participants will discuss recommendations that include opening a health institute to monitor the health of African Americans in Michigan, increasing the number of African-American doctors in black communities and increasing funding for insurance for African Americans. Sessions on Friday and Saturday will include free health screenings, health-related workshops, and speeches by National Medical Association president Dr. Rodney Hood, neurosurgeon Dr. Alexa Canady and actor Robert Guillaume (Bauza, Detroit News, 9/5).