HOUSTON — Health among Black families is influenced by various factors, including socioeconomic status, access to health care, systemic racism and cultural attitudes toward health. Addressing disparities requires a multifaceted approach that tackles several barriers in order to promote health education and address social determinants of health. The Links, Incorporated has created community-based initiatives aimed at reducing inequality that can contribute to improving overall health outcomes for Black families.
The organization launched and hosted its second annual Black Family Wellness Expo on Saturday, March 16 at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church to share valuable information that can help everyone — from infants to seniors — live healthier lives. This year’s event featured panelists, fireside breakout sessions, food trucks, kid stations and community collaborative sponsors at the local, regional and national levels.
This year’s multi-city events were built upon the organization’s successful inaugural launch last year. While the organization has worked to battle health disparities in the communities where its members have served for decades, March 2023 was the first time that chapters, including Houston’s, and Links members worked on the same day coast to coast to address many health disparities and celebrate general wellness in a one-day event within their communities and nationwide.
In addition to educating communities of African descent about the numerous health disparities impacting them, this year, The Links expanded its efforts to include information related to financial wellness and voter registration and education to ensure communities are equipped and empowered to make informed decisions impacting them at the national, state and local levels.
Startling statistics reveal that:
- Heart disease is the number one killer for all Americans and stroke is also a leading cause of death. The risks for both heart disease and stroke are even higher for Black Americans because they have higher incidences of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity which are contributing factors (American Heart Association).
- Black Americans have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial or ethnic group in the United States when it comes to most types of cancer (American Cancer Society).
- Black Americans between the ages of 18-49 are two times as likely to die from heart disease than whites (CDC).
- Black Americans are more than three times as likely as whites to have kidney failure. In addition, the increased rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and heart disease in Black Americans also increase their risk of kidney disease (National Kidney Foundation).
- Blacks are more likely to have Alzheimer’s disease than whites and have a higher familial risk than other groups (Alzheimer’s Association).
- Over 70% of Black Americans die without having a will or other estate planning document in place.
“Getting Black Americans and other people of African descent to advocate for their own healthcare and financial well-being is more important than ever. And working together, we can change these statistics,” a news release from the organization stated. “Education and information are key to empowering Blacks to fight for their own wellness and the wellness of the communities in which they live, work and play. The right to vote is a critical part of our society, as is educating voters about the issues that matter in their communities. To that end, voter registration and non-partisan voter education are among our core priorities as an organization.”
About The Links, Incorporated
The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 17,000 professional women of African descent in 299 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. Members of The Links contribute more than 1 million documented hours of community service annually — strengthening their communities and enhancing the nation.
