Black American Woman

In Pennsylvania and across the country, Black Americans experience health disparities. Health disparities are disproportionate health conditions and inequalities that exist among all ages in a certain population, including chronic conditions, access to care, preventive screenings, and mental health.

But health disparities are preventable, and UPMC is committed to creating health education and programming that combats these issues. Our goal is to partner with community members and train health care providers to ensure that everyone has access to healthier lifestyles.

The first step to preventing health disparities starts with identifying and understanding them. Health disparities can result among Black patients from multiple factors, including but not limited to:

  • Individual and behavioral factors
  • Inadequate access to health care
  • Educational inequalities
  • Environmental threats
  • Poverty

Read below to learn more about health disparities and what UPMC is doing to ensure equity in health care.