Diseases affect blacks more
Emotional problems seem less common
Stress for Success
February 27, 2007

African-American have the highest incidence of diabetes, cardio-vascular heart disease, hypertension and stroke when compared to all other racial/ethnic groups in America.

From 1992 to 2000, 29% more blacks under the age of 60 died from heart disease and stroke than whites, according to the National Medical Association and Pfizer, Inc. (joint study, Pfizer Facts: Racial Differences in Cardiovascular Health.)

National Institute of Health (NIH) research “… links this excess prevalence and severity of hypertension among African-Americans to chronic and disproportionately intense societal stress, especially among low income inner-city residents."

Heart disease is largely a preventable condition. Research has long shown that stress reduction approaches including lifestyle changes not only prevent heart disease and hypertension, they may even reverse some damage.

For instance, NIH funded randomized clinical trials found stress reducing meditation was 2 1/2 times more effective in reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure than typical relaxation. This is a significantly healthier way to reduce blood pressure since it has no adverse reactions and costs nothing compared to standard pharmacological treatment, (R. H. Schneider et al, Hypertension 26,1995 and 28,1996).

Given the fact that over 50% of Medicare recipients suffer from heart disease or hypertension, with a price tag of over $100 billion annually, deep relaxation is a hugely cost-effective option for everyone, black people included.

Interestingly, from the research I’ve done it seems that African-Americans’ discrimination stress manifests itself more through physical illness then emotional problems.

A study from the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, the world's largest academic survey and research organization, surveyed more than 6,000 African-American, Afro-Caribbean and non-Hispanic white adults and found noticeably different patterns of prevalence of major mental and physical disorders.

The survey evaluated physical health, experiences of discrimination and racial prejudice, including police harassment. The survey, funded by NIH, was conducted between February 2001 and March 2003 and found:
§ Lower rates of major depression for African-Americans (10.6%) than Afro-Caribbeans (11.3%) or white Americans (18.3%)
§ Blacks with significantly lower rates of panic disorder (2.7%) than whites 4.2%)
§ Generalized anxiety disorder for blacks (4.5%) vs. whites (7.9%)
§ Social phobia for blacks (7.5%) vs. whites (12.6%)

It's fortunate that as African-Americans you’re less likely to suffer from emotional symptoms of stress. It’ll be even better when you increase your awareness of the physical consequences of stress, regardless of the cause.

Since stopping others from discriminating is largely beyond a person’s control, it's in your best interest to take control of your health by making lifestyle changes that everyone needs and that have proved to protect you from the physical ravages of stress; improve your daily habits of exercise and nutrition and begin a regular program of deep relaxation.

The health protections these strategies offer are only part of the pay off. The more important benefit is derived from the practicing of these healthy habits and experiencing the subsequent positive results: you gain a greater sense of control, which will always lower your over-all stress.

Jacquelyn Ferguson, M. S., of InterAction Associates, is a trainer and a Stress Coach. E-mail her at www.jackieferguson.com or call 239-693-8111 for information about her workshops on this and other topics or to invite her to speak to your organization.