3B
LIFE/tr^e Charlotte $ost
Thursday, June 1,2006
Mental illness often overlooked among blacks
Continued from page 2B
the A&ican-American popula-
tion.
Afiican-Am^cans are dis
proportionately exposed to
sodal conditions considered
to be important risk factors
for physical and mental ill
ness.
Afiican-Americans fre
quently lack a usual source of
health care as a focal point for
treatment- For many African
Americans, the emergency
room is generally the source
of primary care treatment. As
a result, mental health care
occurs fi^uently in emer
gency rooms and psychiatric
hospitals. These settings and
limited treatment available
there, undermine the deliv
ery of high-quality mental
health care.
Adaptive traditions have
sustained African Americans
through long periods of hard
ship imposed by the larger
society There is a historical
tendency to “cope”" and
“adapt” Ihrou^ a myriad of
mechanisms. Among them
are food, smoking; illicit
drugs; violence; and sex, just
to name a few. For some, it is
a total withdrawal finm social
interactions.
I am reminded of a child
hood friend, who had an
“Unde John,” who sat in the
same chair, by the window,
day in, day out, for as long as
I can remember. I can still
hear my Mend’s mother
telling visitors to the house,
“Oh, don’t mind him, that’s
just Unde John. He won’t
bother you, he harmless.”
Less than half of African
American adults with mental
illness seek treatment for
mental health problems, and
less than one third of their
children receive treatment.
The lack in receiving treat
ment is due in part to the
stigma that surrormds men
tal disorders in the AMcan-
American community
On the surface, the deep
threat this issue poses to
African American health may
not be apparent. However,
mental illnesses affect, and
are affected by, chronic condi
tions such as cancer, heart
and cardiovasailar diseases,
diabetes and HIV/AIDS.
Untreated, they brii^ about
unhealthy behavior, non-
compliance with prescribed
medical regimens, dimin
ished immime functioning,
and poor prognosis.
If this major pubhc health
issue is to be addressed efiec-
tively in the African American
community, several things
have to take place;
• • More aggressive
efforts in addressing health
disparities as a community
• Educate and involve
Religious leada^ in directing
seekers of prayer to Mental
Health Services
• Make mental health
a part of dialogue in primary •
care settings
• Increase the avail
ability of AMcan American
Mental Heath Providers
• Encourage compli
ance and continuation of
treatment by family and
friends
Remember, I’m not a doctor,
I just soimd like one.
Take good care of yourself
and live the best life possible!
Glenn EUis is a health
columnist/writer and media
personality who lectures
around the country on health
issues relevant to the Afiican-
Americm community
For good health informa
tion, visit;
www.glennellis.com.
Si
25% off
Blacks fighting obesity with surgery
By Deborah Todd
NEW P/rr58Uf?GH COURIER
PITTSBURGH - According
to the Center for Disease
Control, heart disease, vari
ous cancers, stroke and dia
betes were the top four rea
sons Black Americans died in
2002. Each disease is more
likely to affect Blacks than
my other ethnic group in the
coimtry, and all the diseases’
have root causes that can be
traced back to obesity
“The AMcan-American pop
ulation is particularly vulner
able to severe obesity, so
they’re a popiilation in
tremendous need,” said Dr.
Anita Courcoulas, Chief of
the Section of Minimally
Invasive Bariatric and
General Surgery at the
University of Pittsbui^.
Fortunately, Blacks have
begun to step up and make
the changes necessary to
improve their outlooks.
According to doctors in atten
dance at the National
Obesity Help Ccaivention at
Magee Women’s Hospital
May 13, Blacks are seeking
hdp in greater numbers.
‘T think itfs wonderful that,
now with more education and
awareness, more people are
becoming aware of the surgi
cal option and are coming for
help,” said Courcoulas.
Yes. In the AMcan-
American community we
have a lot of people interested
in surgery we have a lot not
interested in surgery” said
Dr. Madelyn Pemstrom,
founder and director of the
UPMC Weight Management
Center. ‘T think tiiere’s a lot
more int^est, sort of more
hope, in general.
Many Black people hear
statistics saying more than
64 percent of our population
is obese, but have no idea
whether they fall into that
category or not. Femstrom
said learning a patient’s Body
Mass Index is the first step in
determining how to help
them lose wei^t.
“When you’re in that 30s,
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