Dying While Black [Paperback]

Over 90,000 Blacks die each year that would not die if Blacks had the same death rate as whites. Blacks still suffer from the generational effect of a slave health deficit. Blacks lag behind on nearly every health indicator, including life expectancy, death rates, infant mortality, low birth weight rates and disease rates. Blacks are sicker than Whites. Blacks have shorter lives - Blacks are quite literally dying from being black! This black health deficit is directly traceable to the slave health deficit. The slave health deficit that was established during slavery was not relieved during the reconstruction period (1865-1870), Jim Crow Era (1870-1965) , the Affirmative Action Era (1965-1980) or the Racial entrenchment era (1980 to present). Also, established at the time was a health care deficit that continues to exist. Repairing the health of Blacks will require a multi-facet long term legal and financial commitment. Dying While Black produces the smoking gun connection between white privilege, racism, slavery and Black health outcomes. DWB combines careful documentation of the past and a plethora of data with deft, compelling storytelling. The result is a nuanced, forward looking narrative that not only provides evidence of what's wrong and why, but offers a concrete proposal for what can be done to make a difference. Chapter 1, Introduction , provides and overview to the problem to be addressed in this book. Chapter 2, From Slave Health Deficit to Black Health Inequities , traces the health status deficit of Blacks from slavery through Jim Crow to the twenty-first century. Chapter 3, Racist Health Care, addresses the racial inequity in the health care system This inequities exist in access to health care and the quality of treatment received. Racial inequity is manifested in racial barriers to hospitals, to nursing homes, and to physicians and other providers. Finally, shortage of Black health professionals affects both access to health care andlc`