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Black Women Taking on the Fight Against Diabetes
By Linda Goler Blount, MPH, President and CEO, Black Women’s Health Imperative
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The cost of insulin is skyrocketing and people—especially Black women—are dying because they cannot afford or don’t have access to vital medication.
There is not enough being done to lower the prices of prescription medications that could mean life or death for so many African Americans that depend on it to live. Over30 millionpeople in the United States have been diagnosed with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes—in cluding nearly 13% of all non-Hispanic Black people. According to the Office of Minority Health at the De partment of Health and Human Services, African Americans are80% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and the majority of them are women.
Many of those suffering from diabetes depend on in sulin to regulate their blood sugar to remain healthy so that the food they eat does not threaten their lives. In stead of ensuring that people with diabetes can have ac cess to this life-saving drug, some political leaders have put up road block after road block to make it harder for patients to receive care, de spite bipartisan outrage by the excessively high cost of prescription drugs.
This isn’t just bad politics: this is a life or death issue for working families across the country, and African Amer icans are disproportionately
paying the price.
Instead of focusing on lowering drug costs for all Americans, some lawmakers continue to attack the Afford able Care Act and its health care protections for those that have pre-existing condi tions. While they do this, as many as one in four people skips insulin doses or ration prescriptions because of the rising cost. Sadly, some of these people are dying as a result—and many black women are specifically at risk.
African Americans are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes and unfortunate ly suffer fatalities from type 2 diabetes at twice the rate of their white counterparts. Black people are over whelmingly more likely to suffer from debilitating com plications caused by diabetes such as amputations, blind ness and kidney failure more than their white counter parts. Due to lack of health resources in predominately African American commu nities, black people receive poorer quality care and get care later when the disease has progressed.
The risk for getting type 2 diabetes increases with age with the highest incidence occurring between 65-75. This is precisely the point in life when income decreases. African American women are especially affected. They
are likely to be care-givers and spend their hard-earned money on ensuring family members are healthy making access to insulin a greater challenge.
The health and wellness of Black women must be a top priority so we must take action.
Recently, a coalition of health care, social jus tice, and faith organizations launched “Affordable Insulin NOW,” a campaign demand ing lower drug costs for those suffering from diabetes.
Together, we are raising our voices, amplifying each other’s stories, building onthe-ground teams, and de manding our policymakers and pharmaceutical compa nies work together to provide access to high quality and af fordable insulin.
We need affordable insu lin now. Too many lives depend on it.
Linda Goler Blount, MPH, is President and CEO of the Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI). Linda oversees BWHI’s strate gic direction and is responsible for directing the organization toward achieving its mission of leading efforts to solve the most pressing health issues that affect Black women and girls in the United States.
Before joining BWHI, Linda served as the vice president of programmatic impact for the United Way of Greater Atlanta, where she led the effort to elimi nate inequalities in health, income, education and hous ing through place- and population‐basedwork.
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2020 is the year of the Gold Rat it started on January 25 th and will last to February 11 th , 2021. According to the Chinese Zodiac there are 12 zodiac animals - they are the: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. A Rat year occurs every 12 years. Recent Rat years are: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, and 2020.
Those born in Rat
The Year of the Rat years tend to be smart but not the bravest of the zodiac signs choosing to fight only when corned. They have a quick wit, they are very observant and creative - giving them the ability to take advantage of opportunities when they occur. This maybe the reason many those who are born in the year of the Rat tend to be wealthy and prosperous.
Each of the zodiac signs connects to one of the five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Gold (metal) Rat years are (1960 and 2020) they are smart talented but can be hot-tempered. Water Rats (1912 and 1972) are talkative conservative and wise. Earth Rats (1948- 2008) are honest, with a sense of self-awareness. Fire Rats (1936 and 1996) are energetic, friendly and can be very strong willed. Wood Rats (1924 and 1984) tend to be independent, self-confident and virtuous.
Even though there is no love lost for rats and the word rat is often used in a derogatory manor in most societies, the Rat ranks first in the Chinese zodiac (because it out-smarted all of the other eleven animals according to ancient Chinese folklore) and rat years are believed to be a time of material prosperity .
Rat years can also be times of struggle, yet it is a time to realize goals and dreams which can manifest into abundance and prosperity. Those burn in a rat year have a heightened sense for survival in times of scarcity. This year is the beginning of a 12 month cycle that will end in on February 11 th 2021. Many view the 2020’s as a time to prosper but like the Roaring 20’s it will be a time to both prosper and struggle. 2020 will be a year to see things as they really are. If you are born in a rat year, you can be unapologetic in promoting your own agenda. It is said that this sign can be motived by its own self interests which in many cases include money. Greed can become a problem not only for those born on Rat years but for all the signs at this time. During this Year of the Rat it would be wise for us all to learn to find ways to help others while creating ways to help ourselves. All things move in cycles we are in the first cycle of a new decade and the first of twelve cycles in the Chinese zodic.
According to my good friend numerologist Lloyd Strayhorn what we do at the beginning of each cycle will set the stage for years to come. I wish everyone reading this article a Happy New Year of the Rat may it bring you abundance, prosperity and Joy.
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Dr. George Williams
