+

ASTHMA IN AFRICAN AMERICANS COMPARED TO THE GENERAL POPULATION

By: Duverkia Rojas, Abigail Owusu, Keith O’Day

+WHAT IS ASTHMA? A respiratory condition marked by spasms in the

bronchi (Any major air passages of the lungs that diverge from the wood pipe) of the lungs causing difficulty breathing..

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+CAUSES

Airborne

allergies

Pollen

Animal Dander

Mold

Cockroaches

Dust Mites

Respiratory

Infection

Cold Air

Strong Emotions

Stress

Air Pollutants

Smoke

Certain Medications

Aspirin

Ibuprofen

Naproxen

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+Symptoms

Shortness of breath

Whistling and wheezing sound

Tight Chest pain

Coughing Attacks

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+What is a Health Disparity?

The difference in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and

burden of disease and the other adverse health

conditions that exist among specific population groups

in Massachusetts, compared to the general population.

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+DISPARITY

African Americans have a higher prevalence of asthma than the general population: the Caucasian race .

African Americans are 3 times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma.

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+Hospitalized rates for Asthma 7

+What are the risk factors of asthma?

• Genetics • Socioeconomic

status• Health

maintenance behaviors

• Air quality• Obesity• stress

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9

http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/stateprofiles/Asthma_in_MA.pdf

+Asthma Rate in Massachusetts: African Americans vs Caucasians

African American have a higher Asthma rate than Caucasians

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+Education

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MA

US

MA

US

http://collegecompletion.chronicle.com/state/#state=ny&sector=public_four

+INCOME

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+POVERTY

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+CONCLUSION

African Americans are more likely to develop asthma compared to the general population due to the differences in socioeconomic status, health maintenance behaviors, genetics, and level of education

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+References

Asthma in African American what can we do about higher rates of disease

By: Stacy K. Silvers MD. And David M. Lang MD.

Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine

http://www.ccjm.org/content/79/3/193.full

Asthma Facts and Figures Asthma and Allergy Foundation

http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=42

Mayo Clinic Asthma Basics

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/asthma/DS00021

http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/stateprofiles/Asthma_in_MA.pdf

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