The African American Health Program

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Racism, both structural and interpersonal are fundamental causes of health inequities, health disparities and disease. The impact of these inequities on the health of Americans is severe, far-reaching, and unacceptable." 

Across the country, racial and ethnic minority populations experience higher rates of poor health and disease in a range of health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, asthma, and heart disease, when compared to their White counterparts. The life expectancy among Black/African Americans is years lower than that of White Americans.

The COVID-19 pandemic, and its disproportionate impact among communities of color, is another stark example of these enduring health disparities. COVID-19 data shows that Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian and Alaska Native populations in the U.S. experienced higher rates of hospitalization and death compared to White populations. These health disparities underscore the urgent need to address systemic racism as a root cause of racial and ethnic health inequities and a core element of our public health efforts.

To address the inequities of health caused by racism in Montgomery County, Maryland, McFarland and Associates, Inc. bid on and received the contract for the African American Health Program.

The African American Health Program (AAHP) works to eliminate health disparities and improve the number and quality of years of life for African Americans and people of African descent in Montgomery County, MD. AAHP's goals include:

  • raising awareness in the Montgomery County community about key health disparities
  • integrating African American health concerns into existing services and programs
  • monitoring health status data for African Americans in Montgomery County
  • implementing and evaluating strategies to achieve specific health objectives

The McFarland Institute makes in-kind contributions to AAHP.

Visit the African American Health Program
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