HEALTH EDUCATION AND AWARENESS

The most basic requirement for quality of life is good health. In the important area of health and wellness the African American community is under siege. Compared to other racial and ethnic groups African Americans are impacted at significantly higher rates in the following areas:

• African-Americans experience diabetes at twice the rate of whites
• African-Americans are 10 times more likely to be HIV positive than whites
• African-Americans are likely to be more obese than their white counterparts
• African-American men in New Jersey are two and one half times as likely as White men to die from prostate cancer.
• African-Americans of both genders have a higher mortality rate from cancer than Caucasians.
• African-American men in New Jersey are two and one half times as likely as White men to die from prostate cancer.
• African-Americans are less likely to have health insurance and likewise access less healthcare throughout their lifetime.
• • Minority populations are less likely than the general population to access services for early screening, and the resulting later diagnosis leads to less curable stages of disease.
• African-Americans have an average life expectancy of 72 years versus 78 years for whites.

To address and overcome some of these important health disparities, the Urban League of Essex County has launched a public awareness and information campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to provide the community with important, life-saving information in the area of health and “wellness living,” in addition to directing constituents to free dental care, health care, cancer screening, and other resources available but not well advertised in low-income communities.

During the next year the Urban League plans to increase the community’s “health IQ” by holding a number of community workshops on important health issues such as hypertension, high blood pressure and nutrition. Important information will also be disseminated to the community through the Urban League newsletter, website, and community outreach.

We must become more educated and informed on important health and nutritional issues. As it relates to good health and nutrition what we know (or don’t know) can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Do You Need Access to These Programs?

Please contact the Urban League at 973.624.9535.

To volunteer as a speaker or trainer for one of these programs, please contact Director of Operations and Outreach Darrin Sharif at ( 973)624-9535, dsharif@ulec.org, or click here to sign up online as a Volunteer.

To give a gift in support of this program, please call the Director of Development at (973) 624-9535 or click here to Donate online.