Healthline Black Health: A Space to Educate, Motivate, Advocate

Tell me if any of these sound familiar.

You’ve scanned dozens of websites trying to figure out what that odd rash on your child’s skin is, but you can’t find any pictures that show how skin conditions look on dark skin.

Or you know your doctor will ask you again about your blood pressure at your next checkup. But no matter what you try, it’s just not going down, and you don’t know why.

Perhaps you think your doctor isn’t offering your mother the best care or doesn’t believe her when she says she’s still in pain. But she just can’t find the right words to advocate for herself.

Or maybe you’re looking for healthy eating options, but none of the recipes you find online contain the ingredients, character, and culture of the food you’re used to.

The truth is, our race does play a role in the daily decisions we make about our health. Black people sometimes face unique health challenges. Finding the tools, resources, and people to help us navigate our health journeys can often be a challenge in and of itself.

But it doesn’t have to be.

Welcome to Healthline Black Health

Since I started working at Healthline, I’ve been impressed with its commitment to providing understandable and actionable information. It enables our readers to feel informed enough to make the best decisions for their health.

As a Person of Color, I’ve also found Healthline’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in its content impressive. Our editors, medical reviewers, and designers have all made a conscious effort to represent all people in our articles and imagery.

The environment was ideal for creating a space where Black people could easily find expert information on issues that matter to our community. The creation of our Black health information hub reinforces our commitment to promoting equitable health outcomes. Not only are we curating relevant existing content, but we’re committing to researching and writing about new topics of interest to the Black community.

This hub isn’t about isolating Black people and listing all the ways that things are harder for us. It’s about empowering us to be active in our own health decisions.

Educate

There’s a long list of conditions that disproportionately affect Black people, many of which increase our risk of other conditions. Genetics, family history, and social factors also play a role. Whether you have diabetes, heart disease, or cancer — or are at risk of them — we have resources to guide you on your journey.

This hub also seeks to amplify Black voices by sharing stories from members of our community who live with these conditions. Learn by reading about the personal experiences of Black people with COVID-19, kidney disease, or sickle cell anemia, for example.

Speaking of sickle cell disease, we’ve dedicated a whole page to it. It’s a “rare” condition that’s not so rare in the Black community. (The trait for sickle cell disease appears in 1 in 13 Black babies but only 1 in 333 white babies.)

Here’s another alarming stat: Black mothers are almost three times as likely to die during childbirth than their white peers. Acknowledging that disparities in maternal health have had grave effects on our community, we’ve also included a page dedicated to the health of moms-to-be.

Good health refers to both body and mind, so we’ve included resources on the unique mental health challenges facing Black people in the United States.

Our Nutrition & Fitness page applies a cultural lens to the conventional healthy eating format. You’ll find expert advice from Black dietitians and recipes that blend culture with healthy eating.

And you can stop your image search. We’ve gathered resources on a host of conditions and how they show up on Black skin, complete with photos and specialized care tips.

Motivate

It can be discouraging to be constantly bombarded with messages about how things are worse for you because of your race. It can leave you feeling defeated right out of the gate.

But our content isn’t merely a collection of health inequities. It’s a call to action.

It’s a call for us to take control of our health journey and equip ourselves with the tools we need. Whether your next task is to find a culturally-competent therapist, screen for colorectal cancer, or clear up your acne, this hub can guide you there.

Knowing the role your race plays in your health and healthcare can be a motivating experience. Maybe you thought some things were out of your control, or you couldn’t understand what the problem was. We hope this content lightens your load and lifts you up.

Advocate

For us, advocacy means two things.

First, it means addressing health disparities head-on — bringing up difficult subjects and starting difficult conversations.

The health disparities that affect our community don’t have to do with our biology. They’re rooted in issues of access, quality of care, and systemic racism. Our Advocacy & Equity section aims to shine a light on many of these issues.

Second, it’s also about helping you to advocate for yourself.

Perhaps you’ve been in a situation where you felt like a healthcare professional didn’t understand your unique needs or concerns. Maybe they didn’t recognize a skin condition because it looks different on you. Or they didn’t agree with your assessment of your own pain.

We see the health disparities that exist in this country. And we want to help bridge those gaps. Our mission is to provide you with the highest quality and most relevant health information out there. Armed with that knowledge, we believe you’ll be better equipped to advocate for yourself and your family.

We hope this hub gives you easy access to the information you need, inspires you to take the next steps, and empowers you to advocate for the care you deserve.

Posted : 2023-12-14 08:56

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