How Women Can Become Better Advocates For Their Own Health

Explore how women can champion their own health. Use expert advice to empower yourself and learn the best practices for active health advocacy. The post How Women Can Become Better Advocates For Their Own Health appeared first on MadameNoire.

How Women Can Become Better Advocates For Their Own Health
Happy, doctor or black woman in office with tablet, research or website for healthcare management. Flare, person and worker scroll in clinic with tech, administration tasks or review medical records.
Source: Jacob Wackerhausen / Getty

Black American women often face potentially life-altering medical experiences shaped by systemic, cultural, and individual barriers to access, which is why personal health advocacy matters. Standing up for your medical rights doesn’t mean challenging everything your doctor says. However, Black Women‘s health empowerment means understanding those medical options, knowing what questions to ask, and actively participating in decisions about your ongoing care.

Every year, cardiovascular disease takes the lives of over 50,000 black women, according to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Cardiovascular risks, from hypertension to stroke, are impacting Black women at a steady rate and tie into other factors from obesity to diabetes. Knowing your hereditary risk can help you target your advocacy to ensure you get the right screenings and don’t ignore signs, from chest pains to shortness of breath.

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The post How Women Can Become Better Advocates For Their Own Health appeared first on MadameNoire.