Minority Men Lack Access To Health Care.

Men of color are doomed to a significantly less healthy life than their white counterparts stemming from factors including racism and poverty, says a new report released today by Community Voices: HealthCare for the Underserved. The group was joined by the National Urban League in this Father’s Day call for action.

While the diversity of our nation continues to expand, rates of illness and death are significantly higher for men of color. Compared to white men, the life expectancy for black men is seven years lower and almost eight years lower for Native American men.

“Nothing in the biological makeup of men of color explains the remarkable gap between their health and white men’s,” says What About Men? Exploring the Inequities in Minority Men’s Health. “Instead, insidious social factors-foremost racism-primarily are behind it.” Improper access to health care, poor education, and few jobs providing insurance are among the factors. “Men of color are facing illness and dying at an alarmingly high rate,” says Dr. Henrie Treadwell, Project Director, W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “We must reverse the trend that keeps men of color from seeking and receiving much-needed health services.”

What About Men? outlines 12 policy strategies to overcome obstacles facing men of color in accessing appropriate health care. These recommendations include:

* Expanding private and public health insurance coverage for more men of color;

* Increasing community-based screening services, outreach programs, and health care case management;

* Strengthening the tie between pediatric, adolescent, and adult care for men of color;

* Building a culturally competent workforce and expanding research and data collection on men of color;

* Developing community coalitions of private and public health agencies and social service organizations to serve men of color; and

* Developing national, state, and local policy agendas for the health of men of color.

“As Father’s Day approaches, we are reminded of the importance of men in our society,” says Hugh Price, President of the National Urban League. “We must remove the horrendous barriers to health care that threaten the lives of our minority men.”

Community Voices has already begun addressing some of these recommendations with the development of the nation’s first full-service Men’s Health Center. The primary care facility, located in Baltimore’s Sandtown-Winchester community provides health care at no charge to uninsured males, ages 19 to 64. The center was established in April 2000 in collaboration with the Baltimore City Health Department.

The report also suggests concerned family members should encourage their fathers, sons, brothers, and husbands to seek care and help facilitate their entry into the health system.

Thirteen sites make up the multi-year Community Voices national initiative supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The 13 communities are: Alameda County/Oakland, California; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Ingham County, Michigan; Baltimore, Maryland; Sacramento, California; Denver, Colorado; Detroit, Michigan; El Paso, Texas; Miami, Florida; North Carolina; Northern Manhattan, New York; Washington, DC; and West Virginia.

To download a copy of the report CLICK below (Adobe Acrobat reader required):

http://www.communityvoices.org/PDF/MensHealthMag_WhatAboutMen.pdf

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