Today's health, wellness event focused on care disparity, distrust of providers

YOUNGSTOWN

Closing the health and medical disparity between blacks and other ethnic groups in the Mahoning Valley were primary goals of the Black History month health and wellness event Saturday at the McGuffey Centre.

The event, free and open to the public, was designed to not only discuss the disparity between blacks and other ethnic groups, but to offer ways to close the gap, said Kim Hamilton, a member of the McGuffey Centre Board of Directors.

The focus was on education because some members of the black community aren’t aware of symptoms of chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure and an unhealthy diet, that can lead to serious medical conditions such as stroke and diabetes, both of which are very high among blacks, Hamilton said.

Also, she said, there is a lack of trust of the medical community among blacks that may contribute to the disparity; but it goes beyond medicine.

“It is cultural mistrust that is part of our history,” she said.

Read more about the event in Sunday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.