Health Equity in the Black Community: The Challenging Road Ahead

Black Americans have higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, obesity, asthma, cancer, and preterm birth than other groups and have a life expectancy of four years less than white Americans. Black children have a 500% higher death rate from asthma than white children. How can these disparities be addressed? How can health outcomes be improved for Black Americans? What are the contributing factors that have led to this disparity?In terms of becoming healthcare providers, Black medical school applicants constituted only 8.4% of the U.S. medical school applicant pool compared with 46.8% of white applicants in 2019. How can more young Black Americans be encouraged to apply to medical schools? What types of programs and support can help address this disparity?