Five Diseases Doctors Misdiagnose in Blacks

Take the reins of health management and familiarize yourself with diseases commonly affecting African-Americans.
By Brittany Gatson, BlackDoctor.org
Posted: 05/15/2012 03:24 PM EDT
Filed Under disease, misdiagnose, Health News, lupus

Millions of Americans spend years suffering from unexplained health problems. Sometimes even the best doctors miss the mark: About 40 percent of all mistakes that doctors make are misdiagnoses, says the National Patient Safety Foundation.

That’s because many ailments have similar symptoms or can be detected only with tests that your physician might consider unnecessary if he’s confident in his verdict.

If you’re in the know about often-confused conditions, though, you can ask the right questions to prevent or fix an error — and even save your life.

 

1. Lupus. Lupus is two to three times more common among African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and Asians — a disparity that remains unexplained. Specifically, lupus is three times more common in black women than in white women. This autoimmune disease, found mainly in women, can cause common symptoms such as fatigue, achy or swollen joints and fevers. More than half say they suffered for at least four years and saw three or more doctors before getting a diagnosis. Black and Hispanic/Latina women tend to develop symptoms at an earlier age than other women. African Americans have more severe organ problems, especially with their kidneys. Between 1979 and 1998, death rates from lupus increased nearly 70 percent among black women between the ages of 45 and 64 years.

 

To read about the other four diseases doctors most often misdiagnose in Blacks, visit BlackDoctor.org.

 

 

BET Health News - We go beyond the music and entertainment world to bring you important medical information and health-related tips of special relevance to Blacks in the U.S. and around the world. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. 

Videos You May Like

(Photo: The Agency Collection / Getty Images)

Comments

Trends
Oliver Lewis •Sports News •Kentucky Derby •Ciara •Rihanna •Kimora Lee Simmons •Willow Smith •Niecy Nash •Christina Milian •Angela Simmons •Chris Brown •LL Cool J •Zoe Saldana •Steve Harvey •Jada Pinkett-Smith •Celebrity Videos •Rita Ora •Celebrity News •Halle Berry •Tamar Braxton •Brandy •Swizz Beatz •Out and About •Evelyn Lozada •Chad Johnson •Celebrity Scandal •Probation •gun violence •New Orleans •Akein Scott •

Money Monday: 6 Summer Vacation Money Tips

Strategies for finding savings on your summer trips. 05/20/2013

Racial Tolerance Around the World

See how hospitable these nations are to newcomers. 05/17/2013

10 Calorie-Cutting Tips to Try

Healthy eating tips to help you slim down for summer. 05/17/2013

Out and About: Mariah Carey On Stage at American Idol Season Finale

Plus pics of Kim K., Amber Rose, Drake and more. 05/17/2013

Dirty Laundry: Scandalous Details Artists Reveal in Songs

Kelly Rowland is just the latest musician to air things out. 05/15/2013

Brainiacs: Celebs Who Attended Ivy League Schools

Who walked the halls of Harvard, Princeton and Yale? 05/16/2013

SEARCH

© 2013 BET Interactive, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Black Entertainment Television LLC. All rights reserved.