Black People In The US Are Dying At Higher Rates From Asthma

asthma inhaler
Via Wikimedia Commons
Briona Lamback
September 21, 2022

It’s no secret that our people disproportionately suffer from many chronic conditions. And many of us know system racism is responsible for these ailments. 

But this disease may come as a shock!

Asthma is killing us. Black people in the US have a 40% higher risk of developing asthma than whites and are three times more likely to die from an asthma episode. Historically affected by racist housing practices like redlining, race and place are a tag team against our health.      

Why is this happening to our people?

A recent study states, “racism – rather than race – is an overarching socio-environmental risk factor that appears to worsen instances of asthma...” The health disparities we face have never been about us. It’s discrimination.

Corporations and the government have always intentionally polluted Black neighborhoods. “We directly link racist loaning practices more than 80 years ago to the maintenance of poor environmental quality in the most redlined neighborhoods today,” explained  expert Alexander Schuyler.

Our people deserve to live long and healthy lives. We must know how racial discrimination shows up in our worlds and affects our health. If we understand the truth, we can continue pushing back against systemic racism in all its forms.

We have a quick favor to ask:

PushBlack is a nonprofit dedicated to raising up Black voices. We are a small team but we have an outsized impact:

  • We reach tens of millions of people with our BLACK NEWS & HISTORY STORIES every year.
  • We fight for CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM to protect our community.
  • We run VOTING CAMPAIGNS that reach over 10 million African-Americans across the country.

And as a nonprofit, we rely on small donations from subscribers like you.

With as little as $5 a month, you can help PushBlack raise up Black voices. It only takes a minute, so will you please ?

Share This Article: