April is National Minority Health Month
National Minority Health Month is a time when we bring attention to the importance of improving the health of racial and ethnic minorities and reducing health disparities in the U.S.
One of the racial/ethnic health disparities in the U.S. is the high prevalence of hypertension among Black adults. In fact, Black and Hispanic adults have a higher lifetime risk of hypertension than White adults.
Hypertension is a key risk factor for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for people of most racial and ethnic groups in the U.S.
Here are some ideas for learning more about this health disparity and educating your clients or employees about hypertension in general:
- For your professional reading: This review article in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology does a good job of explaining the issue and provides recommendations for eliminating hypertension-related health disparities.
- For a class series about hypertension: The 4 Lessons to Lower Blood Pressure PowerPoint shows are visual and engaging, providing everything you need to launch a blood pressure lowering program for your clients or employees. The content is suitable for in-person groups and virtual webinars.
- For a quick introduction to hypertension: The Blood Pressure 101 Education Materials Bundle includes a PowerPoint show that focuses on the basics, along with the Do I Need to Worry About Blood Pressure poster and matching color handout tearpad. The color handout tearpad is also available in Spanish.
- For eye-catching posters: Make the DASH, Stop: You are Eating Too Much Salt, and About Your Blood Pressure can help you generate discussions on hypertension even if you are not able to hold a class.
- For a campaign aimed at Black adults: Check out the Live to the Beat campaign sponsored by Million Hearts and the CDC Foundation. The aim of this campaign is to reduce the risk of heart disease among Black adults ages 25 to 54 and it encourages small steps to address key risk factors, including hypertension. The toolkit has plenty of videos, stories, graphics, and other materials to get you started.
