(Map of the US with the top 10 states displaying the largest African American population according to the Census Bureau)

In 2021, 40.1 million people in the United States were non-Hispanic black alone, which represents 12.1 percent of the total population of 331.9 million. Blacks/African Americans are the second largest minority population in the United States, following the Hispanic/Latino population. In 2021, most of the US population livedin the South (38.4 percent of the total U.S. population).The ten states with the largest non-Hispanic black population in 2020 were Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia.

In 2021, as compared to non-Hispanic whites 25 years and over, 87.9 percent of non-Hispanic blacks had earned at least a high school diploma, as compared to 93.5 percent of the non-Hispanic white population. 24.7 percent of non-Hispanic blacks had a bachelor’s degree or higher, as compared with 38.3 percent of non-Hispanic whites. More black women than black men had earned at least a bachelor's degree (16.0 percent compared with 14.0 percent), while among non-Hispanic whites, a slightly higher proportion of women than men had earned a bachelor's degree or higher (23.5 percent and 23.2 percent, respectively). 9.8 percent of non-Hispanic blacks have a graduate or advanced professional degree, as compared to 15.0 percent of the non-Hispanic white population.

* Note: The 2021 Educational Attainment data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. The degree of uncertainty for an estimate arising from sampling variability is represented through the use of a margin of error. The margin of error can be interpreted roughly as providing a 90 percent probability that the interval defined by the estimate minus the margin of error and the estimate plus the margin of error (the lower and upper confidence bounds) contains the true value. In addition to sampling variability, the American Community Survey (ACS) estimates are subject to non-sampling error (for a discussion of non-sampling variability, see ACS Technical Documentation).

According to the Census Bureau in 2021, the average non-Hispanic black median household income was $48,297 in comparison to $77,999 for non-Hispanic white households. In 2021, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 19.5 percent of non-Hispanic blacks in comparison to 10.0 percent of non-Hispanic whites were living at the poverty level. In 2020, the unemployment rate for non-Hispanic blacks 25 years and over was higher than that of non-Hispanic whites (9.9. percent and 6.4 percent, respectively).

In 2021, 55.1 percent of non-Hispanic blacks in comparison to 73.2 percent of non-Hispanic whites used private health insurance. Also in 2021, 42.7 percent of non-Hispanic blacks in comparison to 34.6 percent of non-Hispanic whites relied on Medicaid or public health insurance. Finally, 9.0 percent of non-Hispanic blacks in comparison to 5.2 percent of non-Hispanic whites were uninsured.

According to Census Bureau projections, the 2021 life expectancies at birth for blacks are 70.8 years, with 74.8 years for women, and 66.7 years for men. For non-Hispanic whites, the projected life expectancies are 76.4 years, with 79.2 years for women, and 73.7 years for men. The death rate for Blacks/African Americans is generally higher than whites for COVID-19, heart disease, stroke, cancer, asthma, influenza and pneumonia, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and homicide.

What is Asthma?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), asthma is a disease that affects your lungs. It causes repeated episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and nighttime or early morning coughing. Asthma can be controlled by taking medicine and avoiding the triggers that can cause an attack. You must also remove the triggers in your environment that can make your asthma worse.

How Does Asthma Affect African American Populations?

• From 2018-2020, 4.0 million non-Hispanic blacks (adults and children) reported that they currently have asthma.
• Non-Hispanic African Americans were 30 percent more likely to have asthma than non-Hispanic whites, in 2019.
• In 2020, non-Hispanic blacks were almost three times more likely to die from asthma related causes than the non-Hispanic white population.
• In 2020, non-Hispanic black children had a death rate 7.6 times that of non-Hispanic white children.
• Non-Hispanic black children were 4.5 times more likely to be admitted to the hospital for asthma, as compared to non-Hispanic white children, in 2019.
• While all the causes of asthma remain unclear, children exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke exposure are at increased risk for acute lower respiratory tract infections, such as bronchitis. Children living below or near the poverty level are more likely to have high levels of blood cotinine, a breakdown product of nicotine, than children living in higher income families.

What is Cancer?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can take over other tissues. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. Cancer is not just one disease, but many diseases.

A person can lower their risk of getting many common kinds of cancer by making healthy choices, keeping a healthy weight, avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol intake, and protecting their skin. Screening tests can find some cancers early when treatment works best. Vaccines (shots) can help prevent or reduce your cancer risk (example: HPV, hepatitis).

How Does Cancer Affect African American Populations?

Black/African Americans have the highest mortality rate of any racial and ethnic group for all cancers combined and for most major cancers. Death rates for all major causes of death are higher for Black/African Americans than for non-Hispanic whites, contributing in part to a lower life expectancy for both Black/African American men and women.

• From 2015-2019, African American men were 1.2 times and 1.7 times, respectively, more likely to have new cases of colon and prostate cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
• Black/African American men are 1.8 times as likely to have stomach cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white men and 2.5 times more likely to die from stomach cancer.
• Black/African American men have lower 5-year cancer survival rates for most cancer sites, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
• Black/African American men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
• From 2015-2019, Black/African American women were just as likely to have been diagnosed with breast cancer; however, they were almost 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white women.
• Black/African American women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer, and they are 2.3 times more likely to die from stomach cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white women.

What is Chronic Liver Disease?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic liver disease includes health problems that affect the liver over time. The liver is your body’s largest internal organ. It lies up under your ribs on the right side of your belly. The liver does many important things including removing waste from the body, such as toxins and medicines, makes bile to help digest food, stores sugar that the body uses for energy, and make new proteins. Liver disease affects the way the liver functions.

How Does Chronic Live Disease Affect African American Populations?

Chronic liver disease is a problem in the African American population. While the cause of chronic liver disease is not always known, some cases can be initiated by conditions such as chronic alcoholism and exposure to hepatitis B and C viruses.

• In 2020, chronic liver disease was the nineth leading cause of death for non-Hispanic blacks, ages 45-64 years old.¹
• African American/black men are 60 percent more likely to have liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct (IBD) cancer and to die from this disease as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
• African American/black women are 30 percent more likely to die from liver and IBD cancer than non-Hispanic white women.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. Your body breaks down most of the food you eat into sugar (glucose) and releases it into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin acts like a key to let the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy.

With diabetes, your body does not make enough insulin or cannot use it as well as it should. When there is not enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream. Over time, diabetes can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. There is not a cure yet for diabetes, but losing weight, eating healthy food, and being active can really help. Other things you can do to help your diabetes include taking medication as prescribed; receiving diabetes self-management education and support; and being consistent with your medical appointments.

How Does Diabetes Affect African American Populations?

• In 2019, non-Hispanic blacks were twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to die from diabetes.
• In 2018, African American adults were 60 percent more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes by a physician.
• In 2019, non-Hispanic blacks were 2.5 times likely to be hospitalized with diabetes and associated long-term complications than non-Hispanic whites.
• In 2019, non-Hispanic blacks were 3.2 times more likely to be diagnosed with end stage renal disease as compared to non-Hispanic whites.

What is Heart Disease?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. In the United States, the most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease (CAD), which can lead to heart attack. You can reduce your risk for heart disease through lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medicine.

How Does Heart Disease Affect African American Populations?

• In 2019, African Americans were 30 percent more likely to die from heart disease than non-Hispanic whites.
• Although African American adults are 30 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, they are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to have their blood pressure under control.
• African American women are nearly 50 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, as compared to non-Hispanic white women.

What is Hepatitis?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. The liver is a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected. Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions can cause hepatitis. However, hepatitis is often caused by a virus. In the United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

How Does Hepatitis Affect African American Populations?

Hepatitis B infection has dropped significantly since 1991 but remains an area of concern for the African American population.

• In 2020, non-Hispanic blacks were 1.4 times as likely to die from viral hepatitis, as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
• In 2020, non-Hispanic blacks were almost twice as likely to die from hepatitis C as compared to the white population.
• While having comparable case rates for hepatitis B in 2020, non-Hispanic blacks were 2.5 times more likely to die from hepatitis B than non-Hispanic whites.

What is HIV/AIDS?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). There is currently no effective cure. Once people get HIV, they have it for life. But with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled. People with HIV who get effective HIV treatment can live long, healthy lives and protect their partner.

How Does HIV/AIDS affect African American Populations?

• Although Black/African Americans represent almost 13 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 42.1 percent of HIV infection cases in 2019.
• In 2020, African Americans were 7.8 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV infection, as compared to the white population.
• African American males have 8.1 times the AIDS rate as compared to white males.
• African American females have 15 times the AIDS rate as compared to white females.
• African American men are 6.0 times as likely to die from HIV infection as non-Hispanic white men.
• African American women are 15.3 times as likely to die from HIV infection as white women.

What is Immunization?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), immunization is a process by which a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination. This term is often used interchangeably with vaccination or inoculation. Vaccination is the act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce protection from a specific disease.

What are the Rates of Immunizations among African American Populations?

African American adults are less likely than non-Hispanic white adults to have received a flu vaccine in the past year or to have ever received the pneumonia vaccine.

• In 2018, Non-Hispanic Blacks aged 65 and older were 10 percent less likely to have received the influenza (flu) shot in the past 12 months, as compared to non-Hispanic whites of the same age group.
• African American children aged 19 to 35 months had comparable rates of immunization in 2017.
• African Americans are 10 percent less likely to have received a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine as white populations.

What is Infant Mortality?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infant mortality is the death of an infant before his or her first birthday. The infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births. In addition to giving us key information about maternal and infant health, the infant mortality rate is an important marker of the overall health of a society.

How Does Infant Mortality Affect African American Populations?

• Non-Hispanic blacks/African Americans have 2.4 times the infant mortality rate as non-Hispanic whites.
• Non-Hispanic black/African American infants are almost four times as likely to die from complications related to low birthweight as compared to non-Hispanic white infants.
• Non-Hispanic black/African American infants had 2.9 times the sudden infant death syndrome mortality rate as non-Hispanic whites, in 2020.
• In 2020, non-Hispanic black/African American mothers were twice as likely to receive late or no prenatal care as compared to non-Hispanic white mothers.

What is Mental and Behavioral Health?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Behavioral health has more to do with the specific actions people take. It is about how people respond in various scenarios. Behavioral health can be influenced by an individual’s mental health.

How Does Mental and Behavioral Health Affect African American Populations?

• In 2020, suicide was the third leading cause of death, respectively, for blacks or African Americans, ages 15 to 24.¹
• The death rate from suicide for black or African American men was four times greater than for African American women, in 2018.
• The overall suicide rate for black or African Americans was 60 percent lower than that of the non-Hispanic white population, in 2018.
• Black females, grades 9-12, were 60 percent more likely to attempt suicide in 2019, as compared to non-Hispanic white females of the same age.
• Poverty level affects mental health status. Black or African Americans living below the poverty level, as compared to those over twice the poverty level, are twice as likely to report serious psychological distress.
• A report from the U.S. Surgeon General found that from 1980 - 1995, the suicide rate among African Americans ages 10 to 14 increased 233 percentage, as compared to 120 percent of non-Hispanic whites.²

What is Obesity?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity is an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. An adult who has a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher is considered obese. Among children of the same age and sex, overweight is defined on CDC growth charts as a BMI at or above the 85th percentile and lower than the 95th percentile. Obesity is defined as having a BMI at or above the 95th percentile. BMI is based on an individual’s weight and height. Obesity is serious because it is associated with poorer mental health outcomes and reduced quality of life. Obesity is associated with the leading causes of death, including deaths from diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.

How Does Obesity Affect African American Populations?

• African American women have the highest rates of obesity or being overweight compared to other groups in the United States. About 4 out of 5 African American women are overweight or obese.
• In 2018, non-Hispanic blacks were 1.3 times more likely to be obese as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
• In 2018, African American women were 50 percent more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic white women.
• From 2015-2018, non-Hispanic black females were 2.3 times more likely to be overweight as compared to non-Hispanic white females.
• People who are overweight are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, high levels of blood fats, diabetes and LDL cholesterol – all risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
• In 2018, African Americans were 20 percent less likely to engage in active physical activity as compared to non-Hispanic whites.

What is Organ Donation?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an organ transplant is a lifesaving procedure in which tissue, or an organ is transferred from one area of a person’s body to another area, or from one person (the donor) to another person (the recipient). In the United States, the most commonly transplanted organs are the kidney, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, and intestines. On any given day there are around 100,000 people on the active waiting list for organs, but only approximately 14,000 deceased organ donors in 2021, with each providing on average 3.5 organs. Living donors provide on average only around 6,000 organs per year.

How Does Organ Donation Affect African American Populations?

African Americans make up the largest group of minorities in need of an organ transplant. In 2021, non-Hispanic blacks made up 12.1 percent of the national population.

• The number of organ transplants performed on non-Hispanic blacks in 2021 was 27.8 percent of the number of non-Hispanic blacks currently waiting for a transplant. The number of transplants performed on non-Hispanic whites was 47.2 percent of the number currently waiting.
• While 28.6 percent of the total candidates currently waiting for transplants are non-Hispanic blacks, they comprised 15.1 percent of organ donors in 2021.
• In 2021, 81.3 percent of donor organs from non-Hispanic blacks were from deceased donors.
• In 2021, 18.7 percent of non-Hispanic blacks were living donors as compared to 33.6 percent of white living donors.
• Although the total number of non-Hispanic whites on organ transplant waiting lists is about 1.4 times greater than that of non-Hispanic blacks, the number of candidates waiting for a kidney transplant is almost the same between non-Hispanic blacks and non-Hispanic whites.
• Non-Hispanic Blacks have higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure than the non-Hispanic white population. These conditions are known to put patients at risk for organ failures.

What is Stroke?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a stroke sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when something blocks blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. In either case, parts of the brain become damaged or die. A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death. There are health conditions and lifestyle habits that can increase your risk for stroke including hypertension.

How Does Stroke Affect African American Populations?

• African Americans are 50 percent more likely to have a stroke (cerebrovascular disease), as compared to their white adult counterparts.
• Black men are 70 percent more likely to die from a stroke as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
• African American women are twice as likely to have a stroke as compared to non-Hispanic white women.

Risk Factors:

There are several risk factors related to stroke. Some of these risk factors are:

• Obesity and Overweight
• Hypertension
• High Cholesterol
• Cigarette Smoking

Prevent and Manage Stroke:

There are things that you can do to prevent and manage stroke:

• Nutrition: Eat healthy diet (increase fresh fruits and vegetables and lower salt intake)
• Weight: Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise: Be physically active (seek advice from your doctor)
• Smoking: Do not smoke
• Alcohol: Limit alcohol intake