Nonprofit Profile | Seeking Good Health for All Americans
According to the federal Office of Minority Health, heart disease afflicts African Americans at a disproportionately high rate:
African American adults are less likely to be diagnosed with coronary heart disease, however they are more likely to die from heart disease. Although African American adults are 40% more likely to have high blood pressure, they are 10% less likely than their non-Hispanic White counterparts to have their blood pressure under control.
- In 2004, African American men were 30% more likely to die from heart disease, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
- African Americans were 1.4 times as likely as non-Hispanic whites to have high blood pressure.
- African American women were 1.7 times as likely as non-Hispanic white women to be obese.
With February being both Black History Month and American Heart Month, it seems appropriate to offer a nod to the National Minority Quality Forum, which seeks to ensure “that high-risk racial and ethnic populations and communities receive optimal health care” through the integration of “data and expertise in support of initiatives to eliminate health disparities.” With support from “health-institution stakeholders (including health plans, federal agencies, academic medical-research centers, foundations, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and state and local agencies) and other private organizations,” the organization’s primary goal is a lofty one — and sadly necessary:
The Forum aims to assist health-care providers, professionals, administrators, researchers, policy makers, and community and faith-based organizations in delivering appropriate health care to minority communities. This assistance must be based on science, research, and analysis that lead to the effective organization and management of system resources to improve the quality and safety of health care for the entire U.S. population, including minorities. | 501(c)
