African American Health Issues

Vetta L. Sanders-Thompson

Measures of health status highlight disparities in the health of African Americans compared with other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. African Americans are more likely to self-report that their health is fair or poor, and a higher occurrence of many health problems is reported among both lowerand higher-income African Americans. Statistics suggest that the situation is more critical for African American men. This entry provides an overview of the health status of African Americans, describes the nature of the health disparities observed, and discusses the factors most frequently associated with disparities in health outcomes. African or Black Americans are the descendants of any of the black racial groups of Africa. In the United States, this group includes the descendants of African slaves who have lived here for generations, as well as recent immigrants from Africa, the Caribbean, and other countries. African Americans are currently the third largest ...

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