[ad_1]
Adding to the mix is sickle cell anemia and sickle cell disease, a rare blood disorder that typically affects people of African descent. Because sickled cells can clump together and block blood vessels, the inherited condition is also a risk factor for stroke, the AHA says.
But more than genetics is at play. So-called social determinants of health — or conditions that make up the environment in which you live — have a lot to do with the stroke disparity too, Lloyd-Jones explains. A 2022 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation found Blacks fared worse than their white peers across many social determinants, including personal transportation and food access.
“We can trump the genetics if we have a healthier food supply, or if we allow people to access healthy foods [and] to access health care,” Lloyd-Jones says. “It doesn’t have to play out that way.”
Healthy food wasn’t always accessible for Mark Moore, a stroke survivor, author and now philanthropist living in Northern Virginia. Growing up with seven siblings in Jamaica, Queens, New York, Moore’s parents didn’t drive, and the closest grocery store was poorly stocked.
“That local store that we walked to was not filled with fresh fruits and vegetables. They had honey buns and Ring Dings and all those kinds of things, so that’s what we purchased. If you’re eating that kind of food, the tendency is you’re more likely to develop high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity” — all factors that increase risk of stroke, says Moore, who suffered two strokes in 2007 and is now 61.
Research shows that food deserts — or areas where it’s hard to find fresh, healthy foods — are more common in minority neighborhoods. What’s more, Black children are almost three times more likely to live in a food-insecure household than white children, according to the nonprofit Feeding America.
“When we talk about health disparities, people sometimes say we’re blaming someone. But it’s not a matter of blame, it’s a fact. This is where we are,” Moore adds.
Racism’s impact on health
Racism can also play a role. Studies show that both interpersonal and structural discrimination are linked to poor health outcomes among Black Americans. And one reason has to do with “the burden of chronic stress” that racism inflicts, says Michael D. Brown, chair of the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland College Park, whose research focuses on hypertension, vascular health and exercise in African Americans.
Scientists say that when the human body faces extreme stress, it releases hormones and neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, epinephrine and cortisol. Repeated release of these substances can lead to secondary effects such as high blood pressure. Stress can also trigger inflammation, which has been linked to stroke risk.
“What’s unique to Blacks in this country — maybe not unique, but it’s persistent and prevalent — is kind of this racialized stress, perceived stress from racial discrimination and marginalization that Blacks in this country endure on a daily basis,” Brown says. “It’s always there, and it doesn’t have to be real. There’s this heightened awareness because we’re always anticipating where the next thing is coming from.”
[ad_2]
Source link
