{"id":20233,"date":"2023-02-10T10:12:16","date_gmt":"2023-02-10T15:12:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?p=20233"},"modified":"2023-03-03T14:37:25","modified_gmt":"2023-03-03T19:37:25","slug":"health-screenings-black-men-should-consider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/health-screenings-black-men-should-consider\/","title":{"rendered":"Health Screenings Black Men Should Consider"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many health screening recommendations depend on age, family history and other risk factors. Given the increased risk people from certain groups face for serious diseases and conditions like cancer or diabetes, race can play a role in these recommendations as well. <\/span><\/p>\n

Studies show that Black men in particular face discouraging odds for many diseases. Though Black men have just a <\/span>6 percent higher incidence of cancer<\/span><\/a> than white men, they are 19 percent more likely to die from it. These outcomes likely result from a combination of factors, ranging from socioeconomic status and access to care to feelings of distrust in the healthcare system.<\/span><\/p>\n

The overarching threat of racism can also have a <\/span>negative, everyday impact<\/span><\/a> on Black men\u2019s health. To combat the resulting health disparities, Black men should consider these screenings, as recommended by medical experts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Health screenings save lives<\/h3>\n

Early diagnosis and treatment can mean the difference between life and death for people of all races, ethnicities and ages. Visiting a doctor for regularly scheduled health screening is one of the best ways to improve outcomes in many cases, by facilitating early diagnosis and treatment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBlack men need to be more vigilant about hypertension, kidney failure, prostate cancer and colon cancer screenings,\u201d says <\/span>Dr. Ashte Collins<\/span><\/a>, a nephrologist at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC. \u201cThey’re at higher risk of developing these conditions.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Prostate cancer<\/h3>\n

\u201cBlack men are disproportionately affected by prostate cancer, in terms of both greater risks of being diagnosed with and dying from the disease,\u201d says <\/span>Dr. Michael Leapman<\/span><\/a>, a urologic oncologist at Yale Cancer Center in New Haven, Connecticut.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Doctors <\/span>screen for prostate cancer<\/span><\/a> using a blood test to measure prostate-specific antigens. Men who have prostate cancer often have higher PSA levels, which is the first red flag for prostate cancer. Physicians may also check the prostate for abnormalities during a digital rectal exam.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGuidelines encourage Black men to consider screening with the PSA test <\/span>as early as age 40<\/span><\/a>,\u201d Leapman says. If a PSA test comes back higher than expected or a doctor has concerns after a DRE, they can order additional tests to confirm or rule out prostate cancer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Colon cancer<\/h3>\n

Black Panther<\/span><\/i> star <\/span>Chadwick Boseman\u2019s death<\/span><\/a> after a private colon cancer battle shocked the world in August 2020 \u2014 both because he hadn\u2019t disclosed his diagnosis to the public and because he was just 43 years old. However, Black men have faced grim odds for colon cancer for quite some time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBlack men have the highest mortality for colon cancer, stage for stage, compared to all other demographics,\u201d says <\/span>Dr. Bethany Malone<\/span><\/a>, a colon and rectal surgeon based in Fort Worth, Texas. Luckily, a variety of screening options can help with early detection.<\/span><\/p>\n

Colonoscopies are the gold standard for colon cancer screening and prevention. Doctors use a scope to inspect the colon for polyps (growths that have the potential to become cancerous) and remove them. Different types of stool tests can also detect signs of colon cancer. The National Cancer Institute lists and explains other types of colorectal screenings <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Diabetes<\/h3>\n

Black people have a <\/span>60 percent higher risk<\/span><\/a> for diabetes than white people. They\u2019re also more than twice as likely to face serious complications, like lower limb amputations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Doctors <\/span>screen for diabetes<\/span><\/a> using the fasting plasma glucose and oral glucose tolerance tests. In both scenarios, they perform a blood draw to measure blood sugar levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBlack men with high blood pressure or high cholesterol or <\/span>those over age 35 <\/span><\/a>with a body mass index (BMI) over 25 should be screened for diabetes,\u201d says Collins. Screenings allow physicians to catch the disease before it can cause irreversible damage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Kidney and cardiovascular health<\/h3>\n

Hypertension, diabetes and heart disease can all increase your risk of developing kidney disease. To screen for kidney disease, physicians use a test that shows your glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The higher the number, the better your kidney function.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Black people are <\/span>three times more likely<\/span><\/a> to develop kidney failure than white people. Yet for decades, a race modifier within kidney disease screening has skewed readings on Black men\u2019s eGFR rates. This modifier was originally added <\/span>due to small, flawed studies<\/span><\/a> that claimed that Black men had higher levels of creatine, the chemical measured by eGFR in their bloodstreams. In reality, it has allowed cases of kidney disease in Black men to slip through the cracks more often.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Without the race modifier in the eGFR equation, <\/span>300,000 more Black Americans <\/span><\/a>would be referred to nephrologists for kidney care and more than 3 million would advance to a stage 3 kidney disease diagnosis. Experts have been pushing officials to <\/span>change the screening guidelines<\/span><\/a> nationwide; so far, individual providers and health systems have made some progress, but it\u2019s worth asking what your provider\u2019s standard is and why.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Where to get screened<\/h2>\n

Your <\/span>primary care provider<\/span><\/a> is your first stop for any routine health screenings. They can help identify signs or symptoms of cancer, heart disease and other serious illnesses and refer you to a specialist for further testing and treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBlack men first need to be aware of what diseases they should be getting screened for,\u201d says Collins. \u201cThen they can better advocate for themselves if they think that an appropriate test is being missed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Need a doctor’s appointment<\/a>? Find one on Zocdoc.<\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Medical experts recommend these screenings to help combat health disparities. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":77,"featured_media":20234,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[227],"tags":[103,17,234,81,56],"class_list":["post-20233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-prep","tag-chronic-illness","tag-healthcare-disparities","tag-preventive-care","tag-primary-care","reviewer-dr-nassim-assefi"],"yoast_head":"\nHealth Screenings Black Men Should Consider - Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Medical experts recommend these screenings to help combat health disparities.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/health-screenings-black-men-should-consider\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Health Screenings Black Men Should Consider - 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