Health Rewind: Are Genes to Blame for Kidney Failure Among Blacks?
Plus, new sobering report on Black women's health.
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Genetics May Be Factor for Kidney Failure in Blacks - Why do African-Americans have higher rates of kidney failure? A new study suggests that our genes may play a factor in this racial health disparity. Researchers from Johns Hopkins found that the APOL1 gene, which progresses kidney disease, is found in 10 percent of Blacks yet rarely in whites, says Health Canal. (Photo: Akira Suwa/Philadelphia Inquirer/MCT)
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First-Person Stories of Abortion - While Black women have the highest abortion rates in the U.S., very rarely do we hear their voices. “My Abortion,” a new article in New York Magazine, aims at changing that by highlighting a diverse range of women who have had the procedure. One of those women is Cherisse, who is 39 and African-American. She talks about how her lack of knowledge about reproductive health attributed to her unplanned pregnancies. Photo: BSIP/UIG via Getty Images)
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New Cholesterol Med Recommendations Mean More Blacks on Treatment - New treatment guidelines for lowering cholesterol could mean that more Blacks could be on medication, says Boston.Com. The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology believe that people shouldn’t wait until their cholesterol levels are so high to start taking statins — they should take them earlier. This move could translate into 60 percent of all Black men over 50 taking these drugs. (Photo: Tim Boyle/Getty Images)
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Cardio vs. Strength Training for Obese Girls - A new study found that when it comes to obesity in teens, cardio may trump strength training in terms of improving overall health. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that while both helped obese female teens, cardio helped significantly reduce visceral fat and liver fat and improved insulin sensitivity, which is a risk factor for diabetes. (Photo: Getty Images)
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Bullies More Likely to Have Riskier Sex - Teen bullies are at risk for engaging in casual sex and sex while under the influence, says a new report. Researchers from the Miami Children's Hospital are not sure why the two are connected, but believe that riskier sex may be a coping mechanism for their aggressive behavior with their peers, writes Health Day.(Photo: John Moore/Getty Images)
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Idris Elba Suffering From Asthma Since His Childhood - In a new interview with Black Voices, actor Idris Elba addressed his recent hospitalization due to an asthma attack. He says that his attack came on fast and severe, but that he has fully recovered and is doing “good.” He also said that he has suffered from the respiratory illness for “most of his life.”(Photo: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
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Are Black Teachers the Answer to Lowering Teen Pregnancy Rates? - While teen pregnancy rates have dropped in the U.S., African-American teens bear the brunt of this epidemic. Yet, a new study found that for Black teens who attended schools with Black teachers, their teen pregnancy rates dropped. Researchers believe that African-American educators serve as role models that may help deter their students from having babies, says the Atlantic. (Photo: West Coast Surfer/Getty Images)
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New Report: The Health State of African-American Women - The Center of American Progress recently released a fact sheet on the state of Black women in America. This snapshot of our lives includes a range of issues including serious racial health disparities. According to the sheet, one in four Black women is uninsured, we have the highest rates of hypertension among women and we are four times more likely to die during childbirth. (Photo: Image Source/Getty Images)
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Exercise Can Help Ease Depression Among Teens - A recent British study found that exercising regularly helped boost teenagers’ moods. Researchers found that 63 percent of the teens that worked out three times a week with a trainer were significantly less depressed than teens that didn’t work out. However, the study’s authors stress that exercise alone isn’t enough to treat depression: Therapy and medication may be needed as well, Health Day wrote. (Photo: Peathegee Inc/GettyImages)