Hope Through Knowledge Resources. Org
Well over 90 percent of America's health care budget is spent on treating diseases, many of them in their late stages, because of the very small investment in primary prevention—less than 2 percent of America's $1.3 trillion health budget is spent on population-based prevention.
African Americans unable to afford insurance or medications are turning to the emergency rooms for care, but they reach the doors well after the damage is done." Dr. Zoë A Lewis, a Miami-based heatlhcare education activist and per diem hospitalist working in Jacksonville, Florida observed recently. “Luckily some ERs treat all comers, so the fact that someone comes in without insurance won’t get them turned away. Unfortunately, by the time symptoms are severe enough forcing individuals to come to these ERs, they are seriously ill, often needing intensive care to control dangerous symptoms. This is especially true of African Americans with vascular diseases that come in with heart attacks, stroke and uncontrolled blood pressures and diabetes. Many have advanced and irreversible disease by the time they seek help."
Dr. Z. Lewis sites studies which show 65% of black Medicare beneficiaries have hypertension compared to only half of white beneficiaries, while blacks have a 60% higher risk for type 2 diabetes than do whites. Dr. Lewis affirms, “Healthcare reform that enables screening at no cost needs to kick in immediately. We need to see ‘the greatest good for the greatest need ideology’ at work now. Many cities have free clinics and a variety of methods for folks that don’t have insurance to get some basic tests and even subsidized medications, at least for one month once they are diagnosed." Another point Dr. Z. Lewis noted, “With higher rates of vascular disease among African Americans we should not be surprised, but alarmed, by the numbers of African Americans who are unaware a loved one with mental decline stems from vascular- type dementia. It is a grave report card on our healthcare system when folks don’t know a loved one has evolved to moderate or advanced stage dementia by the time they understand what has been going on. In recognition of February as Black History Month, the Alzheimer’s Association has special resources available for the African-American population online at alz.org/africanamerican.
Dr. Zoë A. Lewis is the author of two bestselling books on Alzheimer’s and dementia, “I Hope They Know: The Essential Handbook on Alzheimer’s Disease and Care” and “Espero que sepan: La guía holística para la enfermedad de Alzheimer”, both resources are written for a basic language skill reader and are listed resources with the National Alzheimer’s Association. Dr. Lewis is a per diem hospitalist physician at Shands Medical Center in Jacksonville, Fl. She is an education activist on aging and end-of-life care issues, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and Hope Through Knowledge.org foffers ree community resources through philanthropic work and radio programming on Blogtalkradio, 'Hospice Radio'.
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