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Minority men

• More information on minority men

Minority men in the United States have certain health issues.

• African-American and Hispanic-American/Latino men are less likely than white men to see a doctor.
• Minority men are less likely to get timely preventive care, such as flu shots and colonoscopies.
• African-American men are 30 percent more likely to die from heart disease compared to non-Hispanic white men.
• Even though blacks account for about 13 percent of the U.S. population, they account for about half of the people who get HIV/AIDS.
• American Indians and Alaska Natives have especially high rates of depression, suicide, and substance abuse.
• African-Americans who get skin cancer are more likely to die from it than whites.
• Type 2 diabetes is more common among African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans/Latinos, and American Indians than among whites.
• Asians and Pacific Islanders make up 4.5 percent of the U.S. population but have more than half of the chronic cases of hepatitis B.

The reasons for these health disparities are not directly related to race and ethnicity. Instead, low income, lack of access to care, language and cultural differences, and other barriers often make good health hard to achieve for many minority groups.

Keep in mind that trends among specific groups do not mean that any one man will get sick or die young. In fact, many health problems can be prevented or lessened with healthy habits like eating a healthy diet, exercising, and not smoking. Make sure to visit your doctor regularly and get the vaccines that are right for you. Also ask about screenings for conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. (You might also ask if your race might affect how the A1c diabetes test should be read.)

Use the resources below to learn how to lower your risk of disease and where to go to get the care you need to stay healthy.

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More information on minority men

Explore other publications and websites

• American Indian/Alaska Native Profile — This resource offers statistics on topics such as HIV/AIDS, immunization, and stroke within the American Indian and Alaska Native community.
  http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=52
• Are You At Risk for Oral Cancer? What African-American Men Need to Know — This resource provides information on who is at a higher risk of getting oral cancer. It also includes possible signs of oral cancer and suggestions on what to do if you think you have these symptoms.
  http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/OralCancer/oral_exam_brochure.htm
• Asian-American Health — This website provides several links to different organizations, articles, and other resources that may be helpful to the Asian-American community. Cancer, mental health, and diabetes are just some of the topics that are covered.
  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asianamericanhealth.html
• Asian-American Profile — This resource provides statistics on the Asian-American population in the United States. It addresses topics such as diabetes, cancer, and immunization.
  http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3005
• The Diabetes Epidemic Among African-Americans — This information sheet discusses the different types of diabetes, risk factors, and effects of diabetes in African-Americans. It also provides advice on how to prevent heart disease, stroke, and other diabetes complications.
  http://www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/pubs/FS_AfricanAm.pdf
• Health Disparities Affecting Minorities: American Indians and Alaska Natives — This brochure provides information on health issues specifically for American Indians and Alaska Natives. It also gives tips on what you can do and where you can find more information.
  http://www.cdc.gov/omhd/Brochures/PDFs/AIAN.pdf
• Hepatitis B Information for the Public — This resource has information about hepatitis B, a serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver. It also includes information on risk factors for hepatitis B and its symptoms.
  http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/B/index.htm
• Hispanic-American Health — This resource provides several links to different organizations, articles, and other resources about Hispanic-Americans. Some topics include cancer, mental health, and diabetes.
  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hispanicamericanhealth.html
• Hispanic/Latino Profile — This resource gives a brief overview of health issues among the Hispanic-American and Latino population. Some issues that are addressed are cancer, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.
  http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=54
• HIV/AIDS Among African Americans — This publication provides statistical information about African-Americans infected with HIV/AIDS in the United States. It discusses the related challenges to HIV prevention in African-American communities.
  http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/index.htm
• Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders Profile — This website features a brief overview of health issues among the Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian community. It provides statistics on topics such as diabetes, infant mortality, and stroke.
  http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=71
• Native-American Health — This online publication presents links to many resources about Native American and Indian health. Some topics include cancer, diabetes, and heart health.
  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/nativeamericanhealth.html
• Prostate Cancer Screening: A Decision Guide for African-Americans — This guide offers a brief overview of what prostate cancer is and screenings for the disease. It also provides information about follow-up tests and possible treatments.
  http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/pdf/aaprosguide.pdf
• What You Need To Know About Skin Cancer — This booklet focuses on non-melanoma skin cancer. It discusses risk factors for skin cancer and ways to reduce risk. It also provides an overview of symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and questions to ask the doctor.
  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/skin
• Why Do Fruits and Vegetables Matter to Men? — African-American men have higher rates of high blood pressure, stroke, and some cancers than white men. Learn about how many fruits and vegetables you need to eat every day for good health. This brochure was designed for African-American men.
  http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/downloads/AA_Mens_Brochure.pdf
• Young African-American Men in the United States (Copyright © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation) — This publication points to the major socioeconomic issues affecting young, African-American men including the topics of education, employment, the criminal justice system, and healthcare. It also addresses the rising mortality rate among that particular group.
  http://www.kff.org/minorityhealth/upload/7541.pdf

Connect with other organizations

• Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum
  http://www.apiahf.org/index.php
• Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations
  http://www.aapcho.org/site/aapcho/
• Indian Health Service, OPH, IHS, OPHS, HHS
  http://www.ihs.gov/MedicalPrograms/MCH/index.cfm
• Intercultural Cancer Council
  http://iccnetwork.org
• National Alliance for Hispanic Health
  http://www.hispanichealth.org
• National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIH
  http://ncmhd.nih.gov/
• National Council of La Raza
  http://www.nclr.org/
• National Minority AIDS Council
  http://www.nmac.org/
• Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, CDC
  http://www.cdc.gov/omhd/
• Office of Minority Health, HHS
  http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/

Content last updated January 10, 2011.

Resources last updated January 10, 2011.

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