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JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – The uninsured and underinsured African American men often neglect their health, because they can not afford treatment.
Black Men’s Wellness Day is an opportunity for health screenings and more.
“It’s important to know what’s going on in our bodies,” said Ryan Foster.
For eight years Foster went without health insurance and relied on free health screenings and clinics. The 38 year old bartender doesn’t have insurance through his employer and like many Black men put health care on the backburner.
“They can be a little expensive,” said Foster. “If you’re living from check to check already and have to give up more of that check to stay insured can put you at a deficit.”
Both the House and Senate have passed their versions of Medicaid Expansion, but it’s hard to know how working Mississippians like Foster will be impacted.
“We should be able to take care of ourselves and not to say the government should be taking care of us, but it should be available and it should be quality care,” added Foster.
The Jackson native recently got health insurance, and Saturday will be participating in the Black Men’s Wellness Day.
The 5K Walk/Run also offers free health screenings from diabetes and blood pressure to Prostate Cancer and HIV.
“There’s an extreme importance of trying to get African American men to the doctor,” said Dr. Victor Sutton with the Jackson Heart Study.
The preventive health and health equity specialist will be Black Men’s Wellness day and encourages African American men to take charged of their health and get screened.
“African American men only go to the doctor usually when something is wrong or when they’re having certain issues,” said Sutton. “This impacts the whole family. You can’t have someone sick and with medical bills, and we’re talking about things that can really be prevented.”
The event starts at 7 a.m. Saturday April 6 at the Russell C. Davis Planetarium.
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