According to Heart Disease Facts from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, about 18.2 million adults, over the age of 20, have heart disease, which is also the leading cause of death for all Americans, accounting for about 659,000 deaths every year.¹
In addition to being the leading cause of death for men and women, heart disease is also the leading cause of death for most racial and ethnic groups in the United States, including Black people. Heart disease accounts for 23.5 percent of deaths for all Black peoples, while also accounting for 23.9 percent of deaths among Black men and 23.1 percent of deaths among Black women. Black people are also disproportionately impacted by diabetes and obesity and certain social determinants of health, like access to healthy foods and physical activity, which also have negative impacts that can lead to increased risk of heart disease.
American Heart Month and Black History Month are opportunities to advance health equity for all Americans by highlighting resources and initiatives that can help those disproportionately impacted by heart disease and other healthcare risks. Below is a list of resources to share during February and beyond.
Resources
- Review the Ischemic Heart Disease Disparities in Medicare Fee-For-Service Beneficiaries data snapshot to learn more about the prevalence of ischemic heart disease (also known as coronary artery disease) among people enrolled in Medicare Fee-For-Service. Additional relevant data snapshots include: Atrial Fibrillation, Diabetes , Heart Failure and Obesity.
- Visit the CMS website to learn more about the Connected Care campaign, which explains the benefits of chronic care management (CCM) for patients with multiple chronic conditions. The campaign also provides health care professionals with resources to implement CCM in their practices.
- View the Coverage to Care (C2C) Roadmap to Better Care and a Healthier You, which helps to explain what health coverage is and how to use it to get primary care and preventive services. This resource is available in 8 languages.
- Download C2C Prevention Resources to share with your patients so that they are aware of services available at no cost to them under most health coverage. This resource is available in 8 languages.
Chronic disease prevention and self-management are keys to reducing the prevalence and impact of heart disease. Our Great Plains QIN team works to help with the prevention and management of chronic diseases by supporting providers in preventing cardiovascular events, promoting tobacco cessation and improving the management of diabetes. Lean more.
- CDC Heart Disease Facts | Updated February 7, 2022