The Health of African American Men

The health of African American men and the role of African American men in the health care system constitute a complex story of historical oppression combined with incredible resilience and dedication. Social forces of racism and discrimination coupled with economic disadvantage have worked against the health of black men for centuries. Yet throughout the history of black people in America, black men and women have been the principal providers of care to one another, relying upon training at segregated yet proud medical institutions of higher learning. African American physicians and scientists have made substantial yet unappreciated contributions to medical science and practice. Still, the health status of African Americans lags behind that of whites, and the health of African American men in particular has reached crisis proportions. Future improvement in the health status of African American men will depend upon improving access to effective medical insurance, eliminating biases in the health care system that alienate black men from health care, increasing the representation of people of color as medical providers, and developing health education approaches that address health risks that are unique to men.