Improving Healthcare Disparities of African American Males through Healthcare Leadership

The success rate for African American male students has surged as it relates to educational reform initiatives that not only challenge traditional structures of education but also mandate that policymakers, administrators, and educators craft new models to ensure success [1]. According to the US Department of Education, African American males constitute only 18% of the nation’s total student population enrolled in public schools. The Kaiser Foundation found that there is a link between socioeconomic status and health. The study found that on average, individuals with more education have more income and tend to have better access to health care and better health outcomes than those with less education and income. The study also found that 38% of African American men between the ages of 16-24 with a high school diploma were enrolled in college compared to 67% of Asians and nonwhites. Of the percentage of African American men enrolling in college only a few enroll in healthcare programs. The shortage of African American males pursuing careers in healthcare could be directly related to the disparate number of African American males enrolled in college. Therefore, continued efforts must be made to first, increase the college enrollment for African American men, and second, increase the number of African American men enrolling in healthcare programs which will in-turn increase the number of African American males in healthcare leadership positions. An increase in the number of African American men in healthcare leadership positions will aid in addressing health disparities such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular health in African American men by bringing a cultural awareness of how to get other African American men better access to healthcare. To assist with improving the number of African American men in healthcare leadership positions, focus needs to be placed on developing programs designed to attract and prepare African American males for healthcare leadership positions [2].