Other famous athletes who have asthma include NBA All-Star Dennis Rodman and NBA Hall-of-Famer Isaiah Thomas.

Black Americans bear a significant burden of having asthma. Dr. Hawkins provides expert insight into identifying triggers and managing the condition, highlighting the importance of education, empowerment, and knowledge.

What is asthma and how do we recognize it?

It’s very likely that you or someone you know has or has been impacted by asthma. It is a common disease that affects the lungs. Asthma is more common in the African American community and we have more severe types.

You have two lungs and their job is to get oxygen into the blood and tissues so the body can get rid of carbon dioxide. To better understand the impact asthma has on your body, think of your lungs as a tree. The tree trunk is your windpipe and the tree branches are the bronchioles that allow air into the lungs and blood.

If you have asthma, your “tree branches” become narrow from inflammation which can prevent air from circulating in your lungs properly. This is what causes your asthma symptoms. Some symptoms may include cough, mucus production, chest pain and pressure, and shortness of breath with rest or with physical activity.

When your symptoms flare up, this can result in an asthma exacerbation which can impact your normal daily activities. Asthma flares are one of the top reasons why people may miss school or work. Flares can also impact your emotional and mental well-being. You can help prevent flares by recognizing your triggers.

What are common asthma triggers?

Triggers are the things that make you more likely to experience a flare. Everyone is different so it’s important to recognize what your specific triggers are. Knowing your triggers can help you avoid them and use prevention as a treatment for your condition.

Some common triggers include airborne triggers such as air pollution, cold air, and seasonal changes. Common allergens that may also be triggers include trees, grass, pollen, dust mites, animals/pets, cockroaches, and household cleaners. Asthma can even be triggered by illnesses such as colds or viruses. These triggers can be difficult to control and avoid depending on your environment.

Some triggers that you may have a little more control over include exercise and emotional stressors such as stress, anxiety, trauma, and exposure to certain medications.

Identifying your triggers can be challenging and some triggers may be easily confused with other conditions such as seasonal allergies. Being aware of potential triggers is a great first step in taking action and understanding your specific triggers.

“Knowing your body allows you to control your asthma so it doesn’t control you.”

How has allergic asthma impacted the Black community?

Many of us have other high-risk health problems such as diabetes in addition to asthma. If your asthma flares, it may cause your other conditions to flare which can lead to poor long-term outcomes. It is important to understand your body and how asthma impacts you, especially as African Americans who are at higher risk for most chronic health conditions.

Take Action!

Dr. Hawkins provided useful and practical tips for managing your asthma.

• Take control by educating yourself and others about asthma
• Use what you learn to help take care of yourself and the ones you care about
• Communicate your expectations to your provider
• Collaborate with your healthcare team to develop an action plan
• Help your provider by engaging in your care because medicine is not magic

Start the conversation. Advocate for yourself. Discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider, and collaborate to come up with a plan to manage your asthma.

This session was sponsored by Genentech

Presented by: 

Randy W. Hawkins MD 

Audra J. Johnson, PhD, Medical Science Liaison 

The post Having Trouble Managing Your Asthma? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Roland S. Martin recalled how former Raiders player Elijah Alexander succumbed to the disease after being dismissed by healthcare professionals at the Black Health Matters Fall 2023 Health Summit & Expo. “He kept complaining about his feet hurting. The doctors kept saying, ‘Oh, it’s from your career.’ He eventually died of this very disease,” said the journalist, author, and media personality.

Advocacy can make a difference in how multiple myeloma is discovered and treated.

Martin moderated a discussion with Denise N. Bronner, PhD Director Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Cánical Trials Immunology Portfolio Jansen and Marsha Calloway-Campbell, J.D. Director, Black Myeloma Health, HealthTree Foundation at the summit. They discussed health disparities associated with this form of cancer. The trio was introduced by actor and producer James Pickens (Grey’s Anatomy).

Calloway-Campbell’s husband was misdiagnosed with arthritis in 2017. He had multiple myeloma. She emphasized the importance of self-advocacy. “Nobody’s going to take care of you like you, not even your family, so you have to know what signs and symptoms are of many different diseases,” said Calloway-Campbell.

How can multiple myeloma be misdiagnosed?

Myeloma lesions were mistaken for arthritis on the scans of Calloway-Campbell’s husband. Dr. Bronner was forced to advocate for her father, who suffered from multiple myeloma when healthcare workers interrogated him. They assumed he was taking drugs when he arrived with fluids on his lungs. Without her stepping in, they might not have asked the right questions. Eventually, they got “lucky” with a cardiologist who closely examined the bloodwork and realized that multiple myeloma was a possibility.

Martin cited how medical professionals can stubbornly refuse to set aside their assumptions.

“You have medical folks who say, who are you? I’m the expert,” he said. “I know what’s better.”

He raised the stereotypes of the angry Black person that patients have to fight against when facing this type of challenge.”

Prominent figures of the past are frequently used to illustrate the problem of systemic racism in the medical field. “They always talk about prejudice or racism in a historical sense,” said Dr. Bronner. “They’ll bring up Tuskegee, right? They’ll bring up Henrietta Lacks, but I said this is persistent; it’s been here, it’s ingrained in there. You have a lot of doctors who continue to have these certain ideas about you because you’re Black.”

How can medical misconceptions contribute to misdiagnosis?

Pain is a symptom of multiple myeloma, causing potential friction for patients subject to the horrors of medical racism.

“It’s a notion that Black people have a higher tolerance of pain,” added Dr. Bronner. “That’s also an issue.”

“Myeloma is a journey in and of itself, and when you add the disparities that now we’re talking about, we’re not seen, we’re not heard,” said Calloway-Campbell.

The treatment experienced by Dr. Bronner’s father was not rare. According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), “Black Americans are systematically undertreated for pain relative to white Americans.”

Calloway-Campbell described how Black patients are treated when seeking help for their pain. “Bone pain, and it’s often in your back. It’s one of the symptoms, so when you present to the ER, that’s what it is,” she said before listing a question Black patients are frequently met with. “What narcotics are you trying to get?”

Dr. Bronner recommended questioning the doctors you’re dealing with. Calloway-Campbell agreed. “Doctors are not proactive in doing the testing to see if multiple myeloma is a possibility,” she said. “When you look at many medical textbooks, we’re not there,” Dr. Bronner added. “When you look at some of the medical research that’s out there, the papers that have been published, we are not there, so you have to say to yourself what their knowledge is based on.”

Take Action!

The session provided valuable and practical tips for advocating for yourself if you suspect you’re experiencing symptoms associated with multiple myeloma.

• The acronym CRAB indicates four common symptoms you might want to consider when deciding if you should ask to be tested for multiple myeloma. C stands for high calcium, R stands for high renal urinal counts, A stands for anemia, and B stands for bone pain.
• Pushing on your doctors can result in better results. Advocate vocally and in writing. They are the experts in medicine, but you are the expert in you.
•  Pay attention to your bloodwork and track any change in the numbers to arrive armed with facts.

This session was presented by Janssen.

The panel:

Roland S. Martin, Journalist, Author, and Media Personality

Denise N. Bronner, PhD, Director Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Clinical Trials Immunology Portfolio Janssen

Marsha Calloway-Campbell, J.D. Director, Black Myeloma Health, HealthTree Foundation

The post My Word, My Health: Addressing Health Disparities in Multiple Myeloma appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Black Americans are at a significant disadvantage when it comes to kidney failure and trying to find a donor. In this session, Dr. Feyikemi Osundina, Director of US Patient Advocacy at Sanofi, outlines the Black community’s challenges regarding kidney transplants and ways to overcome them. And Patient Advocates share their transplant experiences.

Educating yourself on the issues involved is an essential first step. But more than half of our community, 57%, don’t fully understand basic health information. A variety of factors have contributed to this, including a lack of trust in the system due to historical mistreatment, uncertainty about how to communicate with doctors, and cultural barriers that may prevent you from speaking out.

What is Kidney Disease?

The American Kidney Fund reports that 37 million Americans are living with kidney disease. Of those, 807,000 are living with kidney failure. (That means they can no longer filter waste products from your blood). This is a permanent, irreversible condition that requires dialysis.

• Symptoms of kidney failure include:
• Weight loss and poor appetite
• Swollen ankles, feet, or hands – as a result of water retention (edema)
• Shortness of breath
• Tiredness
• Blood in your urine
• Increased need to pee – particularly at night
• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
• Itchy skin
• Muscle cramps
• Feeling sick
• Headaches
• Erectile dysfunction in men

A kidney transplant is necessary for people who are in the end stage of renal disease (ESRD). So, it is likely that you know someone who has either had a kidney transplant or needs one. But, if you think that you may be at risk for kidney disease, you should contact your physician immediately. The earlier it is detected, the better your chances are of stopping it from progressing to kidney failure.

A Kidney Transplant May Have Risks

Nerve damage. While 95% of transplanted kidneys are still functioning a year after the procedure, there may still be risks involved with the procedure. According to the National Health Service, 5 out of every 100 patients suffer nerve damage during the procedure. The nerves around the wound, or front of the thigh of the kidney transplant, are usually the ones that are damaged. However, there is a possibility that it will heal on its own.

Heart problems. Following the procedure, a blockage in the blood supply to the heart can occur. If you have a history of heart issues, talk to your physician about having your heart function assessed before you are added to the transplant list.

Blood sugar management. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes before a transplant, there is a possibility that your blood sugar will be more difficult to control after the procedure. If this happens, work with your physician to make any necessary medication adjustments.

It is Difficult For Us to Find Living Donors

Our community is at a severe disadvantage when it comes to successfully finding a kidney donor. There are over 100,000 people on the waitlist to receive a kidney transplant, and 30% of them are black. Despite the overwhelming number of black Americans who are on the waitlist for a kidney transplant, we are six times less likely to receive a transplant from a living donor. Outsourcing for a kidney transplant will require some self-advocating. Some ways to advocate for yourself include switching doctors and getting second or third opinions.

We are six times less likely to receive a transplant from a living donor.

The Transplant Experience

Most people are hesitant about becoming a kidney donor. It is a significant surgery to remove one of your body’s vital organs. However, the procedure does have a 95% success rate. The chances of a malfunction during the procedure are extremely rare.

As with all major operations, there is a recovery period involved after the transplant. But Reggie, one of the patient advocates on the panel who became a donor, said the process is almost seamless.

“As far as recovery, it is usually just a mild soreness. I took pain medicine the day after surgery, but after that, I just weaned myself off of it. You feel fatigued for about a week,” Reggie said. “After that, I started feeling normal in about a week or two. I was out four weeks before I went back to work.”

Reggie donated his kidney to his wife, Alana. It was her second transplant after her brother donated his to her when she was still a teenager. Though it was not easy needing to have a second procedure as an adult, Alana says it was worth it.

“After my transplant, I was able to move the way I like to move, travel, and get back to my catering business.”

“One of the promises I made with my husband, with the kidney transplant, was that we would have another baby. Our kids are 16 years apart, but our daughter will be five this month. We had a healthy baby girl. Mommy is healthy after my second kidney transplant. So, living life on your terms is possible.”

This session was presented by Sanofi.

The Panelists:

Feyikemi Osundina, PharmD, MS

Alana H, Patient Advocate

Reggie C, Patient Advocate

The post Living Life Beyond Dialysis: What You Should Know About Living Donor Kidney Transplant appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Denise N. Bronner, PhD Director Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Jansen, and JoBaris D. Swain, MD, MPH Medical Executive, Cardiovascular & MetabolismJanssen Scientific Affairs, ILC of Johnson & Johnson discussed the need for “True Representation In Cardio Research” at the 2023 Black Health Matters Summit. They were introduced by actor and producer James Pickens (Grey’s Anatomy). According to a study published by the National Kidney Foundation, “rates for African Americans remained 20% higher for heart disease and 40% higher for stroke.”

Another study published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that “African Americans were 30 percent more likely to die from heart disease than non-Hispanic whites.”

How has a lack of accurate representation in cardio research impacted the Black community?

“Representation is very important,” said Dr. Swain, noting that biological differences are not accounted for when studies are not diverse. Dr. Bronner shared how crucial it is for Black people to be considered in the planning phases of treatment development. She declared that exclusion from the baseline can result in disparities in “efficacy” and “effectiveness.” “The only time that we get included is when the drug has already been approved,” she said. “That’s when you start to see the adverse events or side effects starting to come.” Inclusion at that stage precludes preventive safety measures in some instances. “Things could have been identified if we were being pulled into the study,” she continued. Dr. Swain remarked on the lack of available training materials for diagnosing psoriasis on Black skin. Studies have found that this chronic and complex autoimmune disease is associated with many cardio patients. According to Cureus, “Many studies have shown an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity in patients with psoriasis.”

What are some myths associated with cardio care?

“Many of us have probably heard that cardiovascular disease only happens in old people, and a lot of times, you know, when you go to certain screening events, they’ll, you know, start looking at people 65 and older. However, we’ve now learned that cardiovascular disease can affect individuals of all ages, even children, so we have to be mindful of our activity, diet, and exercise,” he continued.

“A second myth that often we have is that if I don’t have symptoms, I have a healthy heart,” said Dr. Swain, who described witnessing the sudden onset of severe symptoms during a telehealth session.

“We have patients who come into the emergency department, and they’ve been completely healthy in their mind. They’ve not had chest pain or any other side effects or symptoms, and all of a sudden, they come in, and they may have gone and had their blood pressure checked. Then they start having chest pain, and then they realize that they’ve had a full-on myocardial infarction, and often it comes as a complete surprise,” Dr. Swain continued. The older man clutching his left arm in sudden distress is the troupe most people are familiar with when they think of a heart attack. But that popular image is not the whole story of how cardio events occur.

“We often think that men are the only ones who have cardiovascular disease, and we understand men often are at greater risk, but cardiovascular disease affects men and women,” said Dr. Swain.

He revealed that these events in women can be associated with jaw pain. They can also appear to be “asymptomatic or atypical.”

Swain pointed out how cultural norms can convince Black women to ignore symptoms that might be their overall cardio health. “As a culture, you know, we grow up with aches and pains, and it’s straightforward for us to say, oh, I woke up like this, and kind of, you know, write it off as something that’s a part of our natural everyday experience.

Take Action!

• The session provided valuable and practical tips for managing your cardiovascular health.
• Take control by educating yourself and others about cardiovascular issues.
• Familiarize yourself with the myths associated with cardio so you can fight misinformation
•  Don’t assume the ache or pain you are feeling is normal.

As Dr. Swain said, “If you feel something, say something.” Start the conversation. Ask the questions. Listen to your body. Contact your healthcare provider and fight for your cardiovascular health.

This session was presented by Janssen

The Panelists: Denise N. Bronner, PhD Director Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Clinical Trials – Immunology Portfolio Jansen

JoBaris D. Swain, MD, MPH Medical Executive, Cardiovascular & Metabolism Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC of Johnson & Johnson

The post Healing Hearts: True Representation in Cardio Research appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Sanjay S. Shukla, M.D., M.S. President and CEO aTyr Pharma, Chidinma Chime-Melton MD, MBA, FCCP, CPHQ, Assistant Professor of Medicine, UCLA, and Andrea Wilson, a sarcoidosis patient and advocate, discussed the fight against sarcoidosis at the Fall Black Health Summit.

How does sarcoidosis impact the Black community?

“What is really striking here, though, is that it’s so prevalent in our community,” said Dr. Chime-Melton. She cited the alarming statistics about the disease. “In the African-American community, it’s three times as common, so if you’re looking at the epidemiology of it, they tell you, oh sarcoidosis is about 10 in 100,000 patients will have it but within our community, it’s 34 In 100,00 patients. So, it’s three times as common,” she continued.

Dr. Chime-Melton paused and invited the audience into the conversation, taking an impromptu survey of the people in the room. She asked who knew someone with the disease, causing a barrage of hands to go into the air. The anecdotal evidence supported a theory she had been harboring. “I believe firmly that it’s highly under-reported,” she said.

Race is not the only indicator that someone can be at an increased risk for sarcoidosis.

“It’s more common in women as well,” Dr. Chime-Melton revealed before explaining that it is “twice as common in women.” Black people are not just diagnosed more often. They also have poorer outcomes, according to Dr. Chime-Melton. “We have a higher prevalence of the disease, but it doesn’t end there, unfortunately,” she said. “When we do have the disease, we also have worse forms. So we see more breathlessness. We see more shortness of breath. We see more coughs and progression to the fibrosis to the scar and in the lungs.” .

Wilson shared her personal experiences during the painful journey towards arriving at a diagnosis. “I have walked the challenging path that many of you sarcoidosis patients are on right now,” she said. The symptoms that led her on a long path to being diagnosed appeared in 1986.

“I had a nagging cough, fatigue, and unexplained weight loss,” she added. She learned she had sarcoidosis after several misdiagnoses.

She now had the needed information after being subject to a series of irrelevant treatments. “I was finally thrilled that I was diagnosed with something and that it was not all in my head.” Wilson was subject to the medical gaslighting that many women experience. Her diagnosis offered her vindication. “It was not my menses. It was not the fact that I was a young 20-some-year-old woman and that it was stress which I had been told,” Wilson continued.

Steroids are not the only answer.

Wilson was prescribed prednisone, a steroid with significant side effects, including irritability, extra hair growth, fatigue, rampant sweating, and diminished libido. She worked with her caregiver to decrease the role of medicine in her care. “With my doctor’s guidance, we’ve created a multifaceted treatment plan to reduce my reliance on prednisone,” she said. Dr. Shukla expressed a distaste for the overwhelming use of steroids to manage sarcoidosis. He labeled them as “toxic therapy” and described witnessing the dismissal of the need for new treatment methods by executives. “Big companies or even you know investors, they would say, ‘It’s not that bad of a disease, those patients can just take steroids,’ and that just really bothered me,” he said. Dr. Shukla was impacted by seeing “what steroids can do to someone’s life.” “In 50 years in the medical textbooks, they’re going to say this was poison,” he declared.

Sarcoidosis impacts more than the lungs. “90% of people have it in the lungs, but then you appear in multiple other organ systems. It can affect the eyes, lead to strokes, and the skin,” explained Dr. Chime-Melton.

Take Action

• Persistent coughs are cause for concern. Request a chest X-ray if you suspect you have sarcoidosis.
• Talk to your doctor about alternative healing methods. Nutrition can make a difference in a patient’s quality of life, and you have the right to seek information.
• Ask questions about the side effects of any treatment therapies and stay current on your options.

This session was presented by aTyr Pharma

Panelists:

Sanjay S. Shukla, M.D., M.S. President and CEO aTyr Pharma

Chidinma Chime-Melton MD, MBA, FCCP, CPHQ Assistant Professor of Medicine, UCLA

Andrea Wilson Sarcoidosis Patient and Advocate

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​We believe when people are empowered patients who act as experts in their own health care, they better meet their wellness goals. Studies show being proactive about one’s own health not only results in better health care; it also strengthens the body’s natural self-repair mechanisms and helps fend off illness. ​

Through health education and engagement programs, Black Health Matters, the leading syndicator of original content on African American health, is committed to teaching African Americans how to take control of their health into their own hands. ​

We’re launching ProActive Health for African Americans with the 4th Black Health Matters Summit because we are uniquely qualified to do so. 

The 4th Black Health Matters Summit will showcase world-class health leaders who engage with the community in intimate roundtables and workshops on the latest trends and innovation in African American health. Topics include breast cancer, clinical trials, colon cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hereditary hATTR amyloidosis, HIV, lung cancer, mental health, prostate cancer, sickle cell disease and more. Registrants can also take advantage of free health screenings.

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Join us for the 3^rd Black Health Matters Summit to be held on March 2, 2019 at Riverside Church.  Registration begins at 9:30 am.  The program begins promptly at 10:00 am and closes at 4:00 pm. A light breakfast and lunch will be served.

The Summit will focus on patient-centric issues convened to educate patients, caregivers, health enthusiasts, advocacy groups, and media outlets. This program is free and open to the public.  The goal is to help improve the understanding of the management of chronic and rare diseases while underscoring the importance of participation in research studies.

Topics include:

• Breast Cancer
• Clinical Trials/Research Study Participation
• Fibroids/Endometriosis/Reproductive Health
• Hereditary ATTTR amyloidosis
• Heart Disease
• Lupus
• Mental Health
• Sickle Cell
• Prostate Cancer

This Harlem-based, world-class symposium will feature:

• Dr. Carol L Brown:  Board-certified Gynecologic Oncologist, Associate Cancer Center Director for Diversity and Health Equity at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
• Karen Jackson:  Founder/CEO of Sisters Network® Inc
• Dr. Icilma Fergus:  Director of Cardiovascular Disparities, Mount Sinai
• Dr. Kecia Gaither: Director, Perinatal Services/Maternal Fetal Medicine, NYC Health+Hospitals/Lincoln
• Dr. Michael T. McRae: Director Of Mental Health Strategy, New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene
• Dr. Lewis J. Kampel: Director, Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention
• Brenda Blackmon:  Emmy Award Winning News Anchor and Lupus Advocate

Admission is free.  A light breakfast and lunch will be served.

Register today: https://3rdblackhealthmatterssummit.eventbrite.com

Please email questions to info@blackhealthmatters.com.

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A recent study found that African-American women who reported suffering abuse before age 11 had a greater likelihood of adult-onset asthma compared to women whose childhood and adolescence were free of abuse.
The study followed 28,456 African-American women, all participants in the Black Women’s Health Study, between 1995-2011. They completed health questionnaires and provided information on physical and sexual abuse during childhood up to age 11 and adolescence, ages 12 to 18. The results show the incidence of adult-onset asthma increased by more than 20 percent among women who had been abused during childhood. The evidence was stronger for physical abuse than for sexual abuse.
“This is the first study to show an association between childhood abuse and adult-onset asthma,” says Patricia Coogan, lead epidemiologist on the study. “The results suggest chronic stress contributes to asthma onset, even years later.” Researchers believe the link between childhood abuse and asthma incidence is stress and its physiological consequences, including effects on the immune system and airway development.
In 2010, approximately 695,000 children aged 0 to 17 neglected or abused, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Service’s National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, and 22 percent of neglected or abused children were African American. National statistics show asthma is more prevalent in African Americans.
“Given the high prevalence of asthma and childhood abuse in the United States,” Coogan says, “the association is of significant public health importance.”

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