Minority Report

Diversity makes the world go 'round. It also means different groups have different health concerns.

In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Americans in several racial and ethnic minority groups are at higher risk for poor health and premature death.

"Scientific evidence shows that the health disparities gap remains complex and troubling in some areas," explains Robert M. Mayberry, MPH, Ph.D., who will become director of the section of epidemiology and director of the Program in Health Disparities Research at the Baylor Health Care System Center for Health Care Research this September. "However, the gap appears to be closing in a few areas, and it can be eliminated as we discover more about it and take action."

Fortunately, if you know you're at risk for certain diseases, preventive steps can lead to a longer, healthier life. Here is how health risks for common diseases differ by cultural background and gender-and what you can do today.

Diabetes
The CDC reports that African-Americans and Hispanics are twice as likely as Caucasians to develop type 2 diabetes. American Indians and Alaska Natives have 2.6 times the risk.

Stella Balderas, a 54-year-old Hispanic resident of Saginaw, is now well aware of these statistics. Her sister and brother have the disease, so she asked her doctor for a glucose tolerance test. Diagnosed with pre-diabetes, she has dropped 14 pounds in three months through diet and exercise. "I feel like I have another chance," she says.

Ajit Jhangiani echoes Balderas's sentiment. A 60-year-old Fort Worth resident whose diet was heavy on rice, tortillas and fruits, he thought he ate "better than most Americans." But being from India, he also is at higher risk for diabetes.

Like Balderas, he has pre-diabetes and is reducing portion sizes, exercising and limiting saturated fat. "I didn't know about my ethnic risk ahead of time. Now that I know, the diagnosis makes more sense."

What to do:

• Quit smoking.
• Exercise.
• Eat a low-fat diet.
• Seek blood glucose screening.

Cancer
African-American women bear a tremendous cancer burden-they are more likely to die from cancer than persons of any other racial and ethnic group. African-American men have more cancers of the lung, prostate, colon and rectum than Caucasian men. In fact, African-Americans as a whole have more malignant tumors and are less likely to survive cancer than the general population.

Meanwhile, the CDC reports that Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders get fewer cancer screenings-putting them at higher risk for less-treatable tumors and cancers, since early detection is key to treatability.

What to do:

• Quit smoking.
• Exercise.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Avoid excessive sun exposure.

Women: Have routine mammography, Pap tests, breast and pelvic exams, and colonoscopies.

Men: Have routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, digital rectal exams and colonoscopies.

Heart Health
While heart disease is often thought of as a "man's disease," it is the No. 1 killer for both genders. In fact, heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death for all racial and ethnic groups in the United States.

Once again, problems with cardiovascular health hit African-Americans particularly hard. One in three African-Americans has high blood pressure-the highest rate of high blood pressure among all groups. In 2000, death rates from diseases of the heart were 29 percent higher among African-American adults than Caucasian adults. The stroke death rate was 40 percent higher. And African-American women are more likely to die from heart disease than other groups of women.

Meanwhile, Hispanics between the ages of 35 and 64 have a risk of stroke that is 1.3 times higher than the non-Hispanic population.

What to do:

• Quit smoking.
• Exercise.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Reduce stress.
• Follow your doctor's recommendations to control high blood pressure, cholesterol and weight.

Osteoporosis
While osteoporosis does strike men, four out of five cases occur in women. Women have less bone tissue and lose bone more rapidly than men because of changes involved in menopause.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, 20 percent of Caucasian and Asian women older than 50 are estimated to have osteoporosis, followed by 10 percent of Hispanic women and 5 percent of African-American women.

What to do:

• Quit smoking.
• Get enough calcium and vitamin D.
• Do weight-bearing exercises.
• Limit alcohol.
• Have a bone mineral density test.
• Take medication, if appropriate.

By Laurie Davies

If you're concerned about your risk for these diseases or other health problems, talk with a physician on the medical staff at Baylor. To find one, call 1-800-4BAYLOR.