Black Health Self-Advocacy Guide

The Black Health Self-Advocacy Guide equips readers with the practical ‘user friendly’ knowledge and tools necessary to become informed, proactive advocates for their own health and to improve health in their communities.

As Blacks we must be the primary self-advocates for our own health, yes healthcare begins with us!

Black Health Self-Advocacy (BHSA) is necessary because governments on all levels (federal, state, county, local) and the private healthcare system have failed for decades to effectively reduce racial health disparities; failed to improve Blacks deplorable health status.

Black Health Self-Advocacy is driven by the belief that change ‘health equity’ in the general healthcare system and specific health improvement in our own communities will come primarily as a result of our own ‘strong advocacy’ and ‘self-capabilities’.

Black Health Self-Advocacy encompasses 3 areas of ‘Providing, Addressing, and Building’ (PAB):

1. Provides education to Black health consumers so they will be knowledgeable when interacting with the healthcare system.

2. Addresses racial health disparities and the socioeconomic determinants of health.

3. Builds health self-determination and chronic disease prevention to improve community health.

To the degree we engage in Black health self-advocacy 'self-determination' will determine how healthier our future will be! So let us embrace the power of Black health self-advocacy that can unlock and enhance our wellness possibilities.