2011: The Year in African-American Health

Health reports that impacted African-Americans in 2011.

Former Apple CEO and Founder Dies  - Apple announced Wednesday evening that co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs passed away. He was 56.(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Read about the medical breakthroughs impacting African-Americans in cancer research, healthy eating, diabetes and more. - The death of Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs brought international attention to pancreatic cancer, which took the life of the tech king in October. Unfortunately, as the National Cancer Institute would report, the disease disproportionately affects Blacks, with Black men faring the worst, doctors say.(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

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Are Prostate Cancer Screenings Doing More Harm Than Good? - In October, the United States Preventive Services Task Force made a breakthrough discovery that the P.S.A. test — a test widely used to assess prostate health in men — does not really predict cancer and often leads to additional tests and treatments that needlessly cause pain and impotence in many healthy men.(Photo: The Washington Times /Landov)

Photo By The Washington Times /Landov

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Michelle Obama Uses “My Plate” to Tackle Childhood Obesity - In October, First Lady Michelle Obama introduced the “My Plate” tool, an info-graphic designed to help parents give their children balanced portions of protein, grains, veggies, fruits and dairy at every meal. The tool was part of her "Let's Move" campaign to fight childhood obesity.(Photo: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, Pool)

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Top Health Experts Weigh in on Obesity Among African-American Women - In July, at a national panel dedicated to medicine and African-American health, top health experts analyzed why African-American women had the highest rates of obesity in the U.S.  Besides finding that past fad diets and unrealistic goals often deter Black women from reaching their healthiest weight, experts also reported that some women — particularly younger girls — may gain weight as protection against sexual abuse.(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Get a Fade, Check Your Blood Pressure in One Stop - In July, the Arthur Ashe Institute announced that it had been working with Harlem-based establishments to raise awareness around health issues, including installing blood pressure monitors at barber shops,  and incorporating programs for breast cancer education at African-American hair salons.(Photo: REUTERS/Jim Bourg)

Photo By Photo: Reuters

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Young Adults and Health Care Coverage - A Gallup survey released Sept. 21 shows that the percentage of uninsured young adults dropped from 28 percent to 24.2 percent, thanks to the new law that enables them to stay on their parents’ plans up to age 26. It is nearly the lowest since Gallup began tracking health insurance coverage rates in 2008.(Photo: Times-Picayune /Landov)

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Scientist Say Where You Live Can Increase Risk for High Blood Pressure - In a 20-year study, researchers found that where you live, your race and your gender strongly influence your risk of developing high blood pressure as you move from young adulthood into middle-age. Out of four cities — Birmingham, Chicago, Minneapolis and Oakland — featured in the study, Birmingham residents represented the highest level (33.6 percent) diagnosed with hypertension by the time the study was finished.(Photo: Times-Picayune /Landov)

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Blacks Still Rank Highest in HIV Infections - 2011 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that Blacks still rank highest among racial groups in the U.S. infected with the HIV virus. The CDC estimates show that, although African-Americans compose 14 percent of the total U.S. population, Blacks accounted for 44 percent (21,200) of all new HIV infections in 2009 — a rate almost eight times as high as that of whites.(Photo: Stephen Chernin/Getty Images)