Observances ~ February
African American History Month

To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. The first celebration occurred on February 12, 1926. In 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial, the week was expanded into Black History Month.
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This year's theme, "Black Women in American Culture and History," invites us to pay special tribute to the role African-American women have played in shaping the character of our Nation -- often in the face of both racial and gender discrimination.

Despite great improvements in the overall health of the nation, health disparities remain widespread among members of racial and ethnic minority populations. Structural inequalities -- from disparities in education and health care to the vicious cycle of poverty -- still pose enormous hurdles for black communities across America. The health disparities between African Americans and other racial groups are striking and are apparent in life expectancy, death rates, infant mortality, and other measures of health status. Every year, heart disease takes the lives of over half a million Americans, and it remains the leading cause of death in the United States. African Americans have the largest age-adjusted death rates due to heart disease and stroke.

US Census Bureau, Facts for Features Black (African-American) History Month: February 2012

White House Presidential Proclamations: National African American History Month, February 2012,
American Heart Month, February 2012

Million Hearts

Million Hearts is a national initiative launched by the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years.

HHS Million Hearts
Americans suffer more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes each year. Every day, 2,200 people die from cardiovascular disease—that’s 815,000 Americans each year, or 1 in every 3 deaths. We're all at risk for heart disease and stroke. People of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities are affected. However, certain groups —including African Americans, older individuals, and women— are at higher risk than others. African Americans and individuals with low incomes are much more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, and stroke than their White and high-income peers. HHS Million Hearts

Be One in a Million Hearts! See how your actions can make a positive difference. A Million Hearts begins with you!

CDC Million Hearts Links
Heart Disease and Stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the United States. CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion NCCDPHP, Division for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention DHDSP, provide public health leadership to improve cardiovascular health for all, reduce the burden, and eliminate disparities associated with heart disease and stroke.

Related CDC Features & Highlights:

Million Hearts CDC 24/7
Wear Red for a Million Hearts! Friday, February 3rd, 2012

Be One in a Million this American Heart Month!
Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention Twitter Chat
Health is Your Gift!

Send an e-Card!
Share Million Hearts on Facebook
Follow Million Hearts on Twitter

Great American Smokeout
Million Hearts MMWR Weekly, September 16, 2011, 60(36):1248-1251
A Million Hearts, A Thousound Genes, & Your Family History Genomics & Health Impact Blog

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Examples of Important Health Disparities

CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities Report
The CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities Report - United States, 2011 (CHDIR), provides analysis and reporting of the recent trends and ongoing variations in health disparities and inequalities in selected social and health indicators, both of which are important steps in encouraging actions and facilitating accountability to reduce modifiable disparities by using interventions that are effective and scalable.

Examples of some of the important health disparities noted in the CHDIR:

From 2005-2008, African American women and men 45-75 years of age had much higher heart disease death rates than women and men of the other races.
African American women younger than 75 years of age died more often from heart disease than white women of the same age. Similar patterns were found for black men compared with white men.
Older adults, non-Hispanic blacks, U.S.-born adults, and adults with lower family income, lower education, public health insurance, diabetes, obesity, or a disability had a higher prevalence of hypertension than their counterparts.
Among the majority of sex-age groups, the prevalence of obesity from 2005-2008 was lower among whites than among African Americans and Mexican Americans.
Among females, the prevalence of obesity was highest among African Americans.
Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks had substantially higher uninsured rates, compared with Asian/Pacific Islanders and non-Hispanic whites.
African American women experienced an infant mortality rate 2.4 times that for non-Hispanic white women.
During the 2009–10 influenza season, lower influenza vaccination coverage was observed for non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics, compared with non-Hispanic whites.