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The Center /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/for Disease Control de/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fines health disparities as “preventable di/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/ferences in the burden o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations .” As the second-largest minority population in the United States, A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans have been disadvantaged racially, socially, and economically /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/for decades and their health has been drastically a/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fected by this trend through a number o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/factors.

Factors outside the community

The socioeconomic status o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans is a determinant o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f healthcare access and is an integral part o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f how race a/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fects health . Racism in healthcare is not new. On average, A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans have limited access to good quality, conveniently located healthcare /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/facilities. In communities with a high proportion o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans, these necessary /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/facilities are placed /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/few and /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/far between and are o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f poor quality. This has /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fostered a mindset that is in denial o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f health issues amongst the community members as there are most times no a/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fordable treatment available, increasing the percentage o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f chronic illnesses. Research has shown a high correlation between low income and being uninsured, implying that A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans struggle to a/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/ford any insurance.

A racial and economic gap has existed between A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans and white Americans since 1968 with no signi/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/ficant sign o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f change. People assume that the amount o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f money someone makes is based on their job, but /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/for A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans, their race is tied to their income level and as a result, their health. The average black person has earned about 57 percent o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f what the average white American makes /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/from 1968 to 2016 . The U.S. economy en/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/forces regulations that keep the majority o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f the /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/finances in the hands o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f the richest members o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f society, excluding most people o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f the A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican American race . Still today, the average white American household earns 6.5 times the amount o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f an A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican American household, despite a thriving U.S. economy. Income level is also re/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/flected in the type and placement o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f housing, allowing /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/for large groups o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f people within the same race and income level to /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/form their own neighborhoods and attracting those who wish to take advantage o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f this.

Factors within the community

Health starts with what you eat. Everything you put inside your body is either nourishment or a detriment and /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/for A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans, the latter is more o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/ften true but not by accident. It has been /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/found that unhealthy /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/foods are promoted heavier in A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican American communities as they are o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/ften cheaper and what can be a/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/forded, leading to drastically reduced access to healthy /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/food choices, even in grocery stores. Studies have shown that there is a higher prevalence o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fast-/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/food restaurants among and an inverse relationship with low-income neighborhoods, even at the national level . This means that as the overall income level o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f the neighborhood goes down, the number o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fast-/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/food restaurants increases.��

In most cases, the population o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans per area was a better indicator o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fast-/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/food restaurant density than household . Essentially, increasing proportions o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans in a neighborhood is an indicator o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f average decreasing income levels and is positively correlated with an increasing number o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fast-/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/food restaurants. The conclusion can be made that these /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fast-/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/food establishments /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/follow elevated A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican American populations because they are guaranteed business as their prices are more a/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fordable, but the /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/food rarely has any great nutritional value and is highly /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fattening. What can be seen as somewhat healthy, such as a side salad, is o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/ften twice or three times as expensive making it the least likely to be bought by people with limited /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/funds or knowledge o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f healthier /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/food options.

E/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fects and implications o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f these /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/factors��

It is no surprise that with all these /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/factors in place to promote unhealthy eating amongst the A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican American population, a /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frightening number o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f health concerns have also raised. The risk /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/factors, morbidity, incidence, and mortality rates /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/for the top ten leading causes o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f death are disproportionately greater /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/for A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans than white Americans . This leads to elevated death rates /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/for heart disease, stroke, cancer, asthma, in/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fluenza and pneumonia, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and homicide, and decreased li/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fe expectancy overall /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/for A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans at an average o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f 76.1 years compared to 79.8 years /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/for white Americans . Another obvious e/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fect would be the high obesity rates among adults and children that contribute to a number o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f additional health risks such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attacks, and strokes, not to mention decreased per/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/formance in completing everyday tasks. The strategic placement o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f and excess access to unhealthy /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/food without the same ease o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f access to health /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/facilities to combat the issues that arise shows that the U.S. economy has no intention o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f closing the racial or socioeconomic gap between white Americans and A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans soon.��

What can be done to alleviate these e/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fects?

This issue with A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican American health disparities is a matter o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f environmental justice because it is concerned with the equal distribution o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f environmental burdens such as health hazards and other inequalities . It is the responsibility o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f the U.S. government to provide all citizens with equal access to healthy /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/food choices and healthcare /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/facilities. The implementation o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f universal, race-neutral policies would be a step in the right direction . Other means o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f solving the /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/food situation in A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican American neighborhoods directly might include improved transportation to /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/facilitate access to health/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/ful /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/foods or mobile markets to increase the supply o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fresh produce, and nutritional education . There is too much o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f U.S. history built out o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f racism /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/for all o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f our problems to be /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fixed with any one solution, but these propose a good start. Until the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities between A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican-Americans and white Americans are dissolved, environmental justice cannot be achieved.

Re/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/ferences

Black/A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican American - The O/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fice o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f Minority Health. (2019). Retrieved 19 October 2019, /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/from https://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=61

Health Disparities Experienced by Black or A/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/frican Americans --- United States. (2019). Retrieved 19 October 2019, /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5401a1.htm

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Hilmers, A., Hilmers, D. C., & Dave, J. (2012). Neighborhood disparities in access to healthy /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/foods and their e/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/fects on environmental justice. American journal o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f public health , 102 (9), 1644–1654. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2012.300865

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How Economic Inequality Perpetuates U.S. Racial Gaps. (2019). Retrieved 19 October 2019, /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/from https://scholars.org/brie/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f/how-economic-inequality-perpetuates-us-racial-gaps

Institute o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f Medicine (US) Committee on Environmental Justice. Toward Environmental Justice: Research, Education, and Health Policy Needs. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1999. doi: 10.17226/6034

No One Agrees on How to Close the Racial Wealth Gap. (2019). Retrieved 19 October 2019, /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/from https://www.citylab.com/equity/2019/03/racial-wealth-gap-income-inequality-black-white-households/585325/

The American Journal o/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/f Public Health (AJPH) /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/from the American Public Health Association (APHA) publications. (2019). Retrieved 19 October 2019, /thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/from https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi//thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/black-health/full/10.2105/AJPH.93.5.742