CALIFORNIA BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH PROJECT’s Post

Women of color, particularly Black and Indigenous women, face significant health disparities compared to their white counterparts. Some of these disparities are: Maternal mortality —Black women are 2.5 times more likely to die from pregnancy related complications than white women. Chronic diseases —Black and Hispanic women have higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity than white women. Mental illness —Black and Hispanic women are less likely to receive mental health services and treatment. To address these disparities, it's important to prioritize healthcare for women of color, particularly those who are pregnant or have chronic conditions. This can include increasing access to affordable healthcare, investing in preventive care, and addressing systemic racism and social inequities. It's also important to ensure that healthcare providers receive cultural competency training and that there is diversity in the healthcare workforce. We invite you to please fill out this survey, so your voices will be heard. We are connecting with the Healthy Voices Campaign and Policy Matters to not just talk about change but to actually but get the ball rolling so we can make the changes needed with those that made the laws. Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey. PleSe share with your daughters, neighbors and friends. https://lnkd.in/gbG_G_22

According to the CDC, in the U.S., Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women. The CDC notes that more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. Held annually on April 11-17th, Black Maternal Health Week is a week-long campaign founded and led by Black Mamas Matter Alliance to build awareness, activism, and community-building to amplify the voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of Black Mamas and birthing people. Community Health Centers like Dimock are working hard to eliminate this disparity and improve maternal health outcomes for Black mothers. To learn more or support Dimock in these efforts to increase health equity in our community, visit dimock.org/give #BMHW24 #BlackMamasMatter #MaternalJustice #BMHW

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗪𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘀: 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 #patientengagement Did you know unconscious bias can impact who gets the best treatment? A shocking 2016 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found implicit bias in healthcare providers was associated with unequal care for patients. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Black Women in Crisis: A staggering statistic from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reveals Black women are 4 times more likely to die after childbirth than white women. Disability Discrimination: Imagine needing care but facing judgment. A 2018 JAMA Internal Medicine study found a concerning 20% of adults with disabilities reported discrimination in healthcare settings. Socioeconomic Disparities: The Kaiser Family Foundation found a significant gap in access to care. Low-income adults are 28% less likely to report having a usual source of care compared to higher-income adults. 𝙄𝙜𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙞𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙮. 𝙇𝙚𝙩'𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙. #𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡

"We cannot save Black women in America if we don't start telling the truth." - Jennie Joseph, Midwife. 👏 Today marks the start of Black Maternal Health Week, and at Peanut App we are driving home a very simple fact: Black women and mothers are dying because they do not have the healthcare system they deserve. 🏥 In this day and age, Black women are 3 times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. 🤯 To find a solution, here's what Dr. Rachel Hardeman, director of the new Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity at the University of Minnesota has to say: 👉 “We must first ask, ‘How do systems, policies, and social structures combine to create the conditions for poor health?’ rather than asking, “’What’s wrong with people of color that makes them die younger and at higher rates and suffer more illnesses?’’” As Jennie said, we need to start telling the truth. 📣 #blackmaternalhealthweek #birthingwhileblack #bmhw2024

The question of older people's rights is an acid test for commitment to human rights. Are all people equal? Or do we accept arbitrary age caps, and do we support state-sanctioned removal of rights to autonomy and decision-making based on age, or illness? Oversights on human rights claim lives, an example from the UK would be the disregard for people in care homes during COVID. It would be great to see others as well as HelpAge International engage with this rights issue, and honourable mention, Amnesty International has done great work recently. For those interested in this area of older people's autonomy and agency, the UN Independent Expert on Ageing has issued a call for inputs to a report on older people and legal capacity: https://lnkd.in/dHWtyx4c. Resharing a very useful post on measuring autonomy as well, as governments are still in "can't manage what we can't measure" mode.

As a public health professional, a portion of my research has been deeply personal ‘me-search’, focusing on the social determinants of health right here in New Jersey. It’s troubling to know that New Jersey ranks second highest in maternal mortality rates for Black women. According to the New Jersey Maternal Mortality Report, the statistics are stark: a Black mother here is nearly seven times more likely to die from maternity-related complications than a white mother, and a Black baby is almost three times more likely to die before their first birthday compared to a white baby. These numbers are not just concerning professionally but personally, as a Black woman who dreams of starting a family someday. The journey towards change begins with each of us and here are baby steps we can take this #BMHW . 💡Healthcare professionals, it’s crucial to hold yourselves and our peers accountable, ensuring fair and equitable treatment in medical care. 💡Patients, don’t hesitate to ask questions and advocate for thorough documentation of your care - even inquire about a differential diagnosis if you’re unsure about an initial response. Together, we CAN and WILL make a difference. I eagerly await the day when a person’s race no longer predicts their chances of survival during childbirth, for both mother and child. 🤱🏿🤱🏾🤱🏽🤱🏼🤱🏻 #BlackMaternalHealthWeek #HealthEquity #PublicHealth #NewJerseyHealth #Accountability #MaternalMortality #ChangeIsComing #MPHStudent

Did you know Black women in the U.S. are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women? This disparity is unconscionable, but it isn't anything new. Health disparities for People of Color have persisted for decades, so numerous public health initiatives seek to improve these circumstances. Expanding access to quality prenatal care and advocating for policy changes to address systemic racism in healthcare are crucial steps. Organizations like Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Inc. (BMMA) are leading the charge, sharing resources and offering support to improve maternal health outcomes for Black mothers—including hosting events for Black Maternal Health Week! Join them at events beginning today, including in-person and virtual events where you can learn how to advocate for black maternal health in your community! #blackmaternalhealth #wepublichealth #healthequity #bmhw24

Today we express our respect and admiration for mothers and those who fulfill motherly roles. You inspire us all! Mother’s Day marks the beginning of National Women’s Health Week, dedicated to spotlighting women’s health issues and encouraging all women to focus on their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. We can also celebrate the recent White House Executive Order on Advancing Women's Health Research and Innovation, which aims to close persistent gaps in knowledge about women’s health, especially among women of color, older women, and women with disabilities. Read more about how the FNIH is supporting maternal health: https://lnkd.in/eN7jE4s5

Check out the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) 2023 Innovations Showcase here! I see at least three Virginia Area Agencies on Aging highlighted! NADTC has defined innovations as the development and implementation of new services; new or improved approaches to service delivery, accessibility, planning or program oversight; new solutions to longstanding problems; new ways of engaging, serving and improving accessibility for specific underserved, marginalized or hard-to-reach communities; multisector coordination to improve accessibility and services; or new technological applications to enhance participation and accessibility. https://lnkd.in/eERq8XUq USAgingGerontological Society of America (GSA)MealsOnWheels

Why are Black women four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women? Why were two thirds of the healthcare workers who died from Covid-19 from ethnic minority backgrounds? These are just two of the stark statistics taken from the first chapter of our 2022 report, Safer care for all, where we looked at the impact of inequalities on patients, service users, healthcare professionals, and on public confidence more widely. In our latest blog, PSA's Director of Standards and Policy, Christine Braithwaite, reflects on an event we hosted at the end of last year to consider the role of healthcare professionals in tackling health inequalities. The discussion revealed five priorities – or actions that could be taken by regulators – that could make a real difference. Read the blog here: https://lnkd.in/eQiTrP8d