How Prepared are YOU for a Medical Emergency?

By: Erika Takeda Eastham 

​As 2021 is starting off with a bang and COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths are exponentially increasing in America, we at Urban Health Group want to remind and educate our readers about new ways to prepare in case of a medical emergency. In the month of January, we will educate our readers on what constitutes a medical emergency and provide tips on how to alleviate the mental stress that may be brimming under the surface during these chaotic times, especially in our urban BIPOC communities. In today’s blog, we will demonstrate why having a medical emergency plan is important and gauge how prepared YOU are for a medical emergency.
 
FACT: People of Color are 3.7-4.1x MORE LIKELY to be hospitalized because of COVID than white Americans.*
 
Did you know that Black or African American persons are 3.7x more likely to be hospitalized when fighting COVID? And American Indian or Alaska Native persons are 4x more likely to be hospitalized when fighting COVID and Hispanic or Latino persons are 4.1x more likely to be hospitalized when fighting COVID when compared to White Americans? While this statistic is due to a number of reasons concerning racial disparities, we as a community must arm ourselves with knowledge on how to prepare for this potential threat.

​Why having a plan is important:
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FACT: People of Color, under the age of 65, are 2-4x more likely NOT to have health insurance when compared to White Americans. **
 
Did you know that compared to the 7.8% of White Americans under the age of 65 without health insurance, 28.6% of American Indian or Alaska Native Americans and 20.1% of Hispanic or Latino persons under the age of 65 do not have health insurance. In the Black or African American population, 12.1% under the age of 65 do not have health insurance compared to White Americans. These statistics do not account for the millions of Americans who are under-insured. Do you know what your health insurance covers when you are in need of emergency care?
 
FACT: The third leading cause of death for American Indian or Alaska Native Americans, Black or African Americans, and Hispanic or Latino Americans is ACCIDENTS (unintended injuries).**
 
So, while COVID is a real threat, we must find a way to prepare for the unexpected.

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​How do we, as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, prepare for medical emergencies?

First, we, at Urban Health Group, suggest is to gauge how prepare you are for a medical emergency. This is why we created our “How Prepared are YOU for a Medical Emergency” quiz below. Taking our quiz can simultaneously teach about what to think about when preparing for a medical emergency while also seeing how prepared you actually are.

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Create your own user feedback survey

​Secondly, we suggest you follow us on social media and subscribe to our blog posts. We have painstakingly manufactured our posts to arm you with real knowledge, so that you can start thinking about your plan.
                                         
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Finally, come to our Virtual Event event on January 25 to learn how to START planning for medical emergencies. More information to follow.  
 
NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION?! Don’t worry, we are also offering a Plan Well for Care Course in February. This is a live, INTERACTIVE two-week course where our founder and President, Leticia Vaca, an accomplished medical social worker, will provide you with personalized resources, tips and answer any and all of your questions.

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References:
*https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/investigations-discovery/hospitalization-death-by-race-ethnicity.html
** https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/white-health.htm
**https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/american-indian-health.htm
**https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/asian-health.htm
**https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/black-health.htm
**https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/hispanic-health.htm
**https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/mexican-health.htm