ABOUT THE 2009 AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN'S SUMMIT
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Brother, Brother, Brother, there’re far too many of us dying!
Those prophetic words, spoken by the late, great Marvin Gaye in the early seventies, are truer than ever, today. African American men are dying earlier, and in greater number than any other ethnic group in America. Economic circumstances, environmental conditions and lifestyle choices have combined to create the perfect storm for a host of health disparities that diminish our prospects and endanger our future. As we celebrate the historic victory of President-elect Barack Obama, we must remind ourselves that if current conditions prevail, we will continue to lose thousands of Baracks to a host of preventable medical maladies.
The 2009 African American Men's Health and Empowerment Summit is the first of its kind in Los Angeles and will explore the barriers to achieving better health outcomes. African America men have the lowest life expectancy of any group in the United States primarily because of untreated or inadequately treated preventable diseases. Lets take a closer look:
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE:
Cardiovascular disease, mainly heart disease and stroke, disproportionately affect African America men and low income populations. Black men have the highest death rate due to cardiovascular disease.
DIABETES:
Risk factors for diabetes include obesity and family history. Obesity rate for African American and Latino populations are higher than in the general population increasing the risk of diabetes. Diabetes is among the top ten causes of death of Black men.
CANCER:
African American men have higher incidence and death rates from lung, colorectal, pancreatic, esophageal, stomach and prostate cancer than other groups of men.
HIV:
HIV and AIDS disproportionately affect men of color. AIDS is the second leading cause of death for African American men between the ages of 25-44. Recent data have demonstrated the alarming rates o HIV infection among African American men who have sex with men.
SMOKING:
Smoking and other addictive substances exacerbate chronic health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure. The African American community has been victimized by aggressive marketing strategies by the tobacco industry which has resulted in higher rates of lung, oral and esophageal cancer particularly in African American men.
INCARCERATION:
Forty-two percent of U.S. jail inmates are African American. At present, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, one in four African American men will enter prison at least once in their lives. An estimated 28.5% of African American men are expected to serve a state of federal prison sentence.
VIOLENCE:
In 1998, 9,540 African American men died as victims of homicide. Homicide is the leading cause of death for young African American men ages 15-34. The death rate from homicide for African American men ages 15-34 was 17 times the rate for White males.
EDUCATION:
The association between education and health status has been well documented –higher educational attainment is associated with lower rates of mortality.
The summit will be held at the California Science Center in Los Angeles and will feature expert panelist discussing critical areas specific to African American men and their survival. The summit panels will be divided into three areas:
PANEL 1:
HEALTH CARE DISPARITIES AND AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN
PANEL 2: CURRENT POLICIES AND HOW THEY WILL AFFECT AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND THEIR HEALTH
PANEL 3: EMPOWERING AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN
OBJECTIVE:
To address this pressing issue and to improve the health of African American men in the Los Angeles County, the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program has partnered with Assemblymember Mike Davis, the Abbott Fund, Brotman Memorial Hospital, The California Endowment, , The American Cancer Society as well as Charles R. Drew University to bring into focus elements that contribute to perpetuating health care disparities in African American men.
The African American Men's Health and Empowerment Summit is the first conference of its kind to target the African American community in Los Angeles and address conditions affecting the health of African American men. Through education, screenings, and networking of community residents, organizers of the conference hope to raise awareness and educate attendees about the various health issues prevalent in the African American male population including diabetes, high blood pressure, HIV, prostate cancer, lung and oral cancer.
One of the primary goals of the African American Men's Health and Empowerment Summit is to provide a broad and comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting African American men and their viability. Health, education, access to health care, employment, incarceration and discrimination are all determinates that will be explored during the summit. Experts speaking at the conference include Dr. Edison Jackson, PhD., President, Medgar Evers College and Founder of the Men's Initiative in New York; Dr. Carol Adams, PhD., Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, State of Illinois, Dr. Larry Proctor, PhD. ,Associate Director of Southern University Agricultural Research & Extension Center Community of Colors. Many other experts are scheduled to attend. Partnering organizations will provide opportunities for free health screenings. Screenings available include diabetes, high blood pressure, prostate cancer and HIV/AIDS.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
African American men
The general public
Social and health care professionals
Academics
Legislators / Policy Makers
SUMMIT AIMS:
The African American Men's Health and Empowerment Summit will provide participants with an understanding of:
Barriers to accessing health services and how to navigate around them.
Risk factors for the development of chronic diseases and how the prevent them.
The relationship between education and health outcomes.
The relationship between economic development and health outcomes.
The African American Men's Health and Empowerment Summit will be held at the California Science Center from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Saturday, February 28, 2009. The event is free and open to the public. Entertainment and a continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. To register, call 800-447-6388 or visit www.eventsignup.htm.
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