Advocating for Black Women’s Heart Health

Key Takeaways: 

• Black women are two to three times more likely to die prematurely from cardiovascular disease, driven by systemic issues like racism and food insecurity.
• Better outcomes for Black patients can be achieved by increasing Black representation in healthcare through support for medical careers.
• Digital health companies must design and test products with Black communities to create effective solutions for improving Black women’s heart health.

There is an epidemic within an epidemic, and Black women are at the center of it. 

The data shows that women are disproportionately affected by heart issues more than men, but when you segment this population further and focus on Black women, the disparities grow. In fact, Black women are two to three times more likely to experience premature death from cardiovascular disease than white women. 

This was a major topic at this year’s Women’s Heart Health Summit. During our session on Black Women’s Heart Health, our panelists led the conversation around the issues causing such a gap in health. Issues that do not stem from biological factors or lifestyle choices but from bigger problems at the root of our society: systemic racism, lack of representation, food deserts, economic insecurity, generational trauma, and more. 

However, the larger part of the discussion focused on solutions, change, and how we can all do better for Black and African American women. 

‍Solutions for the Black Women’s Heart Health Crisis ‍

As mentioned by Dr. Oyere Onuma during the session, studies have shown that Black patients are more likely to experience markedly better outcomes when treated by Black doctors. Yet, there is a real lack of Black clinicians and researchers at all levels of health care. One solution stresses the importance of increasing representation within the industry as much as possible, which can start with investing in programs that support Black students from an early age through to medical school (check out The Medical Education Resources Initiative for Teens (MERIT) and Mentoring in Medicine).

There is also an urgent need for changes in policy to make a positive impact on Black women’s heart health. Strategies like expanding access to Medicaid and providing universal coverage for preventive services should be the first step. Then, to really move the needle, we need to offer policymakers compelling, detailed data that shows how social, environmental, and genetic factors contribute to higher rates of heart disease for Black women. This data is crucial for designing effective interventions and policies. 

Lastly, far too often, health companies create products without testing them on different demographics first and then try to retroactively make them fit for Black patients. Innovators, start-ups, and product designers can create a better, more inclusive solution or service by implementing community-based research early in their process to ensure their products authentically reach Black audiences and can actually make an impact. Hello Heart has valued health equity from the beginning and has been shown to be effective at lowering blood pressure across race and gender. 

The importance of advocacy for Black women in all professional, congressional, and clinical settings cannot be overstated. Everyone has a part to play. Everyone can be an advocate. 

We encourage you to watch this video of the panel discussion and learn how you can advocate for Black women’s heart health.
‍

Moderator:

• Adimika Arthur, CEO and Executive Director at HealthTech for Medicaid

Speakers:

• Oyere Onuma, MD, Cardiologist & Director of Health Equity at MGH Cardiology at Mass General Hospital
• Bunmi Ogungbe, PhD, MPH, RN, Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
• Tambra Raye Stevenson, MPH, MA, CEO, WANDA: Women Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics and Agriculture