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Minority Men

Overall health has improved in recent years for most Americans. But this progress has not affected all Americans equally. Many groups, including minority men, have limited access to health care and poorer health status. Consider these facts:

African American and Hispanic American/Latino men are less likely than white men to see a doctor, even when they are in poor health.

Regardless of insurance status, minority men are less likely to get timely preventive care, such as flu shots and colonoscopy. And, they are more likely to suffer severe effects of delayed medical care, such as limb amputations, radical cancer surgery, and even death.

African American men are 30 percent more likely to die from heart disease compared to non-Hispanic white men. Similarly, the death rate from prostate cancer for African American men is more than double that for whites.

Even though blacks account for about 13 percent of the U.S. population, they account for about half of the people who get HIV/AIDS.

Hispanic health is often shaped by factors such as language and cultural barriers, lack of access to preventive care, and lack of health insurance.

American Indians and Alaska Natives have especially high rates of depression, suicide, and substance abuse. Yet this group often does not get quality medical care due to cultural barriers, living in isolated locations, poor sewage disposal, and low income.

The reasons for these health disparities are not directly related to race and ethnicity. Rather, low income, education, and other barriers interact to make good health hard to achieve for many minority groups. Keep in mind that trends among specific groups do not mean that any one man will get sick or die young. Use the resources here to learn how to lower your risk of disease and where to go to get the health care you need to stay healthy.

Additional Resources

Publications

American Indian/Alaska Native Profile — This resource offers statistics on topics such as HIV/AIDS, immunization, and stroke within the American Indian and Alaska Native community.

http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=52

Are You At Risk for Oral Cancer? What African-American Men Need to Know — This resource provides information on who is at a higher risk of getting oral cancer. It also includes possible signs of oral cancer and suggestions on what to do if you think you have these symptoms.

http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/OralCancer/oral_exam_brochure.htm

Asian-American Health — This website provides several links to different organizations, articles, and other resources that may be helpful to the Asian-American community. Cancer, mental health, and diabetes are just some of the topics that are covered.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asianamericanhealth.html

Asian-American Profile — This resource provides statistics on the Asian-American population in the United States. It addresses topics such as diabetes, cancer, and immunization.

http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3005

The Diabetes Epidemic Among African-Americans — This information sheet discusses the different types of diabetes, risk factors, and effects of diabetes in African-Americans. It also provides advice on how to prevent heart disease, stroke, and other diabetes complications.

http://www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/pubs/FS_AfricanAm.pdf

Health Disparities Affecting Minorities: African-Americans — This brochure offers statistics on several health topics among the African-American community. It also gives tips on what you can do and where you can find more information.

http://www.cdc.gov/omhd/Brochures/PDFs/BAA.pdf

Health Disparities Affecting Minorities: American Indians and Alaska Natives — This brochure provides information on health issues specifically for American Indians and Alaska Natives. It also gives tips on what you can do and where you can find more information.

http://www.cdc.gov/omhd/Brochures/PDFs/AIAN.pdf

Hepatitis B Information for the Public — This resource has information about hepatitis B, a serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver. It also includes information on risk factors for hepatitis B and its symptoms.

http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/B/index.htm

Hispanic-American Health — This resource provides several links to different organizations, articles, and other resources about Hispanic-Americans. Some topics include cancer, mental health, and diabetes.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hispanicamericanhealth.html

Hispanic/Latino Profile — This resource gives a brief overview of health issues among the Hispanic-American and Latino population. Some issues that are addressed are cancer, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.

http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=54

HIV/AIDS Among African-Americans — This publication provides statistical information about African-Americans infected with HIV/AIDS in the United States. Also discussed are the interrelated challenges to HIV prevention in African-American communities.

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/resources/factsheets/aa.htm

Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders Profile — This website features a brief overview of health issues among the Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian community. It provides statistics on topics such as diabetes, infant mortality, and stroke.

http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=71

Native-American Health — This online publication presents links to many resources about Native American and Indian health. Some topics include cancer, diabetes, and heart health.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/nativeamericanhealth.html

Prostate Cancer Screening: A Decision Guide for African-Americans — This guide offers a brief overview of what prostate cancer is and screenings for the disease. It also provides information about follow-up tests and possible treatments.

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/pdf/aaprosguide.pdf

What You Need To Know About Skin Cancer — This booklet focuses on non-melanoma skin cancer. It discusses risk factors for skin cancer and ways to reduce risk. It also provides an overview of symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and questions to ask the doctor.

http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/skin

Why Do Fruits and Vegetables Matter to Men? — African-American men have higher rates of high blood pressure, stroke, and some cancers than white men. Learn about how many fruits and vegetables you need to eat every day for good health. This brochure was designed for African-American men.

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/downloads/AA_Mens_Brochure.pdf

Young African-American Men in the United States (Copyright © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation) — This publication examines the experiences of young African-American men in education, employment, and the criminal justice system. It also compares their health coverage and health status with those of young men of other racial/ethnic groups.

http://www.kff.org/minorityhealth/upload/7541.pdf

Organizations

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated June 1, 2009.