Health Situation For Middle-Aged African-American Men

The African-American population as of the 2000 census shows that is comprises approximately 12.9% of the US population (Census Brief, 2000). However, though just a small portion of the total population, these African-Americans suffer much of disability and health issues. This portion of the population suffers same diseases like the whites, however, their number of mortality and persons affected triple that of the white population.

Researches have shown that most of these diseases afflict African-Americans before they reach 84; and they acquire it sooner than those of the white Americans. According to the National Center for Health Statistics show that for cases of cancer and heart diseases, African-Americans are killed 50% more than the whites (National Center for Health Statistics,). Most of these disease victims range from the portion of the population with ages 45-64.The profile of African-Americans with ages 45-64 are on their early retirement age up to the actual retirement age.

At this point of their life, some may be still working but some are already unemployed. Contextual influences govern the logic why most of the African-American are affected on this age range.Though African-Americans retire early, the main reason that is being posed on the early retirement are health reasons (Houston, et al., 2009). This gives a scenario that even before African-Americans retire, they already have health issues governing their lifestyle.

However, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, the diseases that these African-Americans are suffering are preventable and treatable (DHHS, 2009). The real issue then is focused on possible health disparities are the suffered by the African-Americans.Health care for African-Americans lies on racial and economic factors. As reported in some states in the US, this portion of the population does not get the health attention that they needed until they themselves are going averse on having a treatment.An alarming health survey was conducted by the Commonwealth Fund showing that there a nearly as twice blacks than whites when doctors treat disrespectfully (Doty and Schoen, 2004). With this, African-Americans were discouraged to take responsibility on their health.

On specific diseases, health issues are governed by the lifestyle patterns of African-Americans. Tohme (2008) in a specific study on diabetes, shows that a particular increase in diabetes among African American men due in part to increase consumption of refined sugary snacks and beverages and due to physical inactivity.This physical inactivity is correlated to the early retirement, that most of the men in this age range opt to be unemployed before the actual retirement age.Cigarette smoking, on the other hand, also contributes to most of the heart disease and various kinds of cancers. This is very prevalent as well on African-Americans with age range of 45-64.  Research shows that African-Americans are twice as high as their white counterparts, thus making them very susceptible to the disease.

In turn, cigarette smoking has also caused complications on pregnancies among African-American women.Essentially, health issues and disparities are caused by a lot of factors. However, these health issues and disparities affect African-Americans, and could mean earlier deaths and lesser quality of life. This social inequity could also lead to loss of economic productivity for this segment of the population. However, the federal states are already putting their efforts to address such problem, with the cause of a better health care system for all, without inequalities. ReferencesDoty, M.

, & Schoen, C. (2004). Inequities in access to medical care in five countries: findings from the 2001 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey. Health Policy, 67(3), 309-322.Houston, D.

, Cai, J., & Stevens, J. (2009). Overweight and Obesity in Young and Middle Age and Early Retirement: The ARIC Study. Epidemiology, 17(1), 143-149.

McKinnon, J. (n.d.). The Black Population 2000. Retrieved July 31, 2009, from www.

census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-5.pdfTohme, G. (2008, August 21).

Diabetes: What is Killing African-American Women?. Retrieved May 20, 2009, from http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Diabetes_What_is_Killing_African-American_Women.htmlU.S.

Department of Health and Human Services. (2009, April 1). Policy & Practice, 18-20.