The manner in which medicine is practiced today can result in a patient taking too many medications. This problem is often seen in patients who are sixty years or older, have chronic medical conditions, and have been seen by multiple physicians in the past. Patients...
Care
Taking care of your mental as well as physical wellbeing is of crucial importance. Access resources and tips for providing quality care to loved ones and those in need.
Warning Signs African American Women Should Not Ignore
Recently, a friend revealed that his wife experienced an acute, onset of symptoms which neither of them recognized as serious. They thought she should stay home to see if the symptoms would cease and she almost died from taking this approach. These are some...
The Sickle Cell Anemia (SCA) Patient
There are reports that patients with sickle cell anemia who complain about intense body pain from a sickle cell crisis are treated very inhumanely by some physicians when seen in the ER. These African American patients are often confused with drug seekers, but...
Patients should tell physicians all
Research tells us that patients often don’t tell physicians all when it comes to their health. I cannot tell you the numbers of times that I have found out critical information regarding the patient’s health from other documents or from family members. We now know...
The longer you stay healthy the better
It is well documented that African Americans have a shorter lifespan then white people. The reasons are well documented and include problems with hypertension, obesity, diabetes and sedentary life style. We now have enough information to inform you that the sad...
Mental Illness Lost in a 21 st Century Twilight Zone
I have concluded that the discussion of mental health issues has been lost in a modern twilight zone. Historically, African Americans are less likely to openly discuss their mental issues and those of family members and close...
Tragedy Continues
You should be aware that death from medications used to treat chronic pain is of epidemic proportions in our society. The accidental death of Prince has made this very clear. Patients in South Carolina are not immune from this problem and physicians in the state are...
The Kidney
Kidney failure, a major health disparity in South Carolina, is not often discussed and is a problem that few African Americans understand. One would understand the reason renal failure is high among African Americans in the state if the myths and untruths circulating...
Trucking Is Not What It Used to Be
Recently, it was reported that the health of truckers is very poor and this puts the lives of others, who share the road with them, in peril. The lifestyle of these men and women is not ideal because of very poor eating habits, lack of exercise, and in my opinion, their ill-suited insight about health issues.
I have seen several truckers who have had their keys taken away because of elevated blood pressure, uncontrolled diabetes, obesity, and sleep apnea. The companies for whom they work are demanding that they resolve their health issues. It comes as a major surprise that too many of them cannot make changes overnight for uncontrolled diabetes or high blood pressure.
Another realty facing truckers is the fact that they cannot return to work until the health issues are addressed.
History of Love, Grace, and Redemption
The Tuskegee experiments have largely gone unappreciated regarding their effect on the African American community, almost 40 years later.
In 1977, President Bill Clinton invited the eight survivors to the White House to formally apologize for one of the “most macabre clinical trials in American history.”
During this ceremony, Herman Shaw, one of the study participants, made these comments, “The wounds that were inflicted upon us cannot be undone. I’m saddened today to think of those who did not survive and whose families will forever live with the knowledge that their death and suffering was preventable. In order for America – black, red, white together – trusting each other, caring for each other and never allowing the kind of tragedy which has happened to us in the Tuskegee study to ever happen again.”
It is a part of our DNA to show, love, redemption, and forgiveness.
“I’ll be All Right,” Famous Last Words of a Sick Black Man
You may have experienced an African American man, in health distress, say “I’ll be all right,” regardless of the current or future gravity of the illness. Recently, I was talking to one of my patients who indicated that he would not allow his family to call 911,...
Exercise is Medicine for Older Americans
This health tip is for people older than 50 years of age. Fifty is a young age in 2016. African Americans who exercise improved their overall quality and longevity. Current studies reveal that people who live in the southern area of the country are less likely to be...