Health and Wellness Blog

During February, when Canada celebrates Black History Month, take a moment to reflect on health issues that are specific to Canadians of Black Heritage.

Black Canadians come from many different backgrounds and have been part of Canada's history since the early 1600's. According to the 2006 Census, over 780,000 Canadians identified themselves as black which makes them the 3rd largest visible minority group in Canada.

Every racial/ethnic group has specific health concerns partly determined by genetics, environmental factors, access to health care and cultural factors. So what specific health issues are Black Canadians facing?

The Government of Canada does not collect health data by race or ethnicity, but consultations with key people in the Black community revealed numerous health conditions that were disproportionately higher among Black-Canadians. These included diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, breast/prostate cancer, obesity, mental health issues and HIV/AIDS.  Sickle-cell anemia, lupus and sarcoidosis were also more frequent than in the general population.

To read more about Black Health Issues check out one of the books shown below or go to Improving Your Health: Tips for African American Men and Women.