Diabetes and African Americans

Diabetes and African Americans: Diabetes mellitus is a medical problem in which a person’s pancreas cannot produce adequate insulin to move glucose from the blood to the cells of the body.  Glucose is vital to your body’s health because it is an important source of energy for the cells which make up your muscles and tissues.  Having diabetes (either type) means that you have too much glucose in your blood, which leads to a buildup in the blood which can lead to serious medical problems.

While diabetes affects Americans across the board, it disproportionately affects African Americans.  According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Minority Health, African Americans are:

• African American adults are 60 percent more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to have been diagnosed with diabetes by a physician.
• In 2016, non-Hispanic blacks were 3.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with end stage renal disease as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
• In 2016, non-Hispanic blacks were 2.3 times more likely to be hospitalized for lower limb amputations as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
• In 2017, African Americans were twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to die from diabetes.

Moreover, according to a new report by ProPublica, Black patients lose limbs to amputation at a rate THREE TIMES more than other groups. Poverty and lack of access to health care are the biggest reason for this number.  With the COVID-19 shut down and Alabama’s refusal to expand Medicaid, these numbers are not likely to fall in the near future.

It is difficult for personal to be approved on their diagnosis of diabetes alone as medical treatment often allows a person to have a health and productive life, but diabetes is often a factor, taken into consideration along with other medical problems you may be suffering from, in preventing persons from engaging in their past relevant work or other jobs available.  Uncontrolled diabetes can-in and of itself-be disabling.

If you suffer from diabetes and believe it is preventing you, either in and of itself or in combination with some other medical/mental problem, from working, and you have questions about your right to Social Security Disability and/or SSI benefits, please do not hesitate to contact and speak with one of the experienced Alabama Disability Attorneys at Powell and Denny today for a free consultation.  Virtual appointments are available via Zoom for your protection from the coronavirus pandemic.

Powell and Denny: We Work When You Can’t

Offices in Birmingham, AL and Huntsville, AL

Alabama Disability Attorneys

Birmingham Social Security Disability Attorneys

Huntsville Social Security Disability Attorneys

Powell and Denny have been selected as one of the Best Law Firms by U.S. News and World Report for each of the last 6 years, have been selected as one of Birmingham’s Top Lawyers by B-Metro Magazine for the last 3 years, have been selected by The National Advocates as one of the Top 20 Workers’ Compensation Firms (plaintiffs) and Powell and Denny, P.C.-has been selected as one of the “Best of the Best” law firms by The American Registry.

Mr. Denny is AV rated by Martindale Hubbard (the highest rating possible) and Mr. Powell has been rated as Superior by The National Registry

Diabetes and African Americans