Heart Disease among African American Women age 35-50

Charmaine Barnes

La Salle University Dr. J. Baker

March 28, 2012

Heart Disease among African American Women 35-50

Introduction and community description:

The residents of North Philadelphia are mainly composed of African Americans and Hispanic American. There are about 44.2 percent of African American residing in Philadelphia. This area has good facilities, such as schools, health clinics, parklands, and historic culture. Despite the rich background of facilities, it is stricken by poverty, characterized by large slum settlement. According to statistics, the value of a house in the area is lower than its surrounding areas. North Philadelphia is a highly densely populated area, whose large population was brought on by large trend of immigrants since it was mainly a manufacturing center in the 19th and 20th centuries (Heart Disease and Black Women, 2011). During the growth of industries, houses were erected to cater to the growth of population. After the industrialization era, North Philadelphia was faced with economic decline. There was a mass exit of the working class, mainly whites. The remaining population was characterized by racial division and depression. The population in the area is still high after the industrialization period, with little economic growth compared to other areas of Philadelphia. The composition of families is mainly single parents. The median age of the people in North Philadelphia is 33.9, whereas the median for women is 35.1 (National Center for Health Statistics, 2010). The median age describes the age that majority of African American women are in or have passed.

The main sources of information used for the heart disease research were the public records, the internet as well as libraries. The organizations which can be a source of help in enlightening and creating awareness about the problem to women in general are “Go Red for women”. “Go Red for Women” conducts campaigns to raise awareness of women's heart disease and promote ways to have a healthy heart.

Heart disease is common among African Americans, though it affects the non-Hispanic (such as Asians, native Americans, whites, Pacific Islanders and other races)more by 40 percent than blacks in general (Heart Disease and Black Women, 2011). Still, they are affected by heart disease that is (such as Asians, native Americans, whites, Pacific Islanders and other races) in the area are. In specific consideration of African American women, they have a greater risk of the disease. African American women's risk of getting the disease is 35 percent more than the whites in North Philadelphia (National Center for Health Statistics, 2010). Basically, the reason for the disease's prevalence may not have a direct cause, but the effect of the disease may be attributed to other diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure (Rabkin, 1977). Basically, all these diseases are the common cause of heart attacks. Two thirds of African Americans in North Philadelphia are overweight or suffers from (Rabkin, 1977). A general prevalence of diabetes exists among the African American women between the ages of 35-50 years old (Richard, 1997). ...