Many African Americans Still Only Dream of High Quality Health Care

Recently, AARP conducted a study to determine how perceptions of key social issues ranked in importance to African Americans age 50 and over. Ninety-one percent gave the answer "high quality health care." Eighty-nine percent gave the answer, "Access to high quality health care information." We were not surprised at the high percentage of either response. Why wouldn't the foremost issue on the minds of African Americans be the key issue that would prolong, enhance or save lives? Why wouldn't the dominant issue on the minds of Black people age 50 and over be their health; even more so than education, employment and access to technology. The only issue that even rivaled health in the survey was "having a financially secure retirement," which also came in at 91 percent. But, it all connects. Among the primary reasons that African Americans worry about health after 50 is because either we or so many of our loved ones don't think we could afford to pay medical bills if we got seriously ill. In fact, in response to a question about whether the outlook is improving on specific issues, optimism was lowest on employment and economic issues -- under 50 percent. It is the desire of every American to be healthy and happy. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. often reminded, even the Declaration of Independence promises, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Li...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news