African American Health Disparities: Addressing Differences in the Workplace

February 21, 2017 by David Rodeck

The United States deals with serious racial disparities in health care. While the situation has improved, the average African American’s life expectancy is still shorter than the average non-Hispanic white American. Your business can help close the gap by addressing the unique health risks African Americans in your workforce face.

Common African American Health Risks

Your African American employees are at a greater risk for several major diseases. African Americans are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, which can lead to a wide range of problems such as heart disease, stroke, kidney problems and eye problems.

According to an infographic from FamiliesUSA, African Americans are more likely to die from breast and prostate cancer compared to non-Hispanic whites. Finally, depression is another common ailment in the African American community that often goes untreated.

Solving the Problem

Providing quality health insurance to your employees is already a big step toward solving this problem. A report from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation noted African Americans are less likely to be insured than non-Hispanic whites. Offering coverage to your African American employees and their dependents ensures they have health care access.

Consider a workplace wellness program for all your employees. These programs offer benefits such as gym memberships, nutrition classes and smoking cessation classes. This proactive approach can prevent many health problems before they even develop.

Finally, your employees must be aware of these common health problems and the steps they should take for preventing them. For example, they should know to schedule regular blood pressure screenings, mammograms and prostate exams.

Helping Employees Learn More

Anthem and its partners created a new website to address health disparities in the African American community. You should ask all your employees to visit this site so they can learn more about how to stay healthy.

You can also hold training classes to teach employees how to use their benefits effectively, such as the importance of regular breast and prostate exams and mental health care. Let employees know if they use your mental health care services, the treatment will be confidential and won’t impact their careers.

The country has made great strides towards closing the African American health gap over the past few years, but there’s still work to be done. By taking these steps, your business can help create a healthier, more equal society.

David Rodeck is a professional freelance writer based out of Delaware. Before writing full-time, he worked as a health- and life-insurance agent. He specializes in making insurance, investing and financial planning understandable.

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