The pandemic has also revealed that African Americans need access to additional resources to have better control of their health.
In Chicago for example, Black residents make up 30 percent of the population but account for 70 percent of COVID-related deaths, and the majority of Black COVID-19 patients who have died in Chicago also had underlying health conditions, like respiratory problems, hypertension, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death for Black Americans, and Black people experience risk factors that contribute to heart disease like high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol more often and earlier in life compared to White people.
It’s clear, overall healthcare testing is needed throughout Black America.
Getting tested for important health issues— and understanding the results— can help people make informed and sometimes critical healthcare decisions. 70 percent of medical decisions are based on results from diagnostic tests.
Because obvious symptoms of a health issue aren’t always present, testing is one of the most effective ways to identify health concerns that may need to be addressed.
Quest Diagnostics is committed to creating partnerships with others to increase access in Black and other underserved communities.
Hopefully changes to the entire healthcare system will include similar commitments of access to treatment and preventative care for Black communities to move past this pandemic on parity with White America. Access, testing, and equity are keys to achieving and maintaining good health for all.