April is National Minority Health Month, and for this Patient Community Newsletter, we’re going to highlight the importance of vascular health for those populations that are often underrepresented in health research and care initiatives.

Many factors affect your health, and there is a lot of research that shows that certain races and ethnicities can be at a disadvantage when trying to protect their health or seek care. These gaps in health outcomes are evident when you look at who is more likely to have vascular diseases across the country - for instance, African-Americans are more likely than their White counterparts to have Peripheral Artery Disease. Minority health month is a chance to think about the factors that affect minorities and their health status. If research doesn’t include persons from Asian or Hispanic communities, the care and treatments that come from that research could lead to even more inequity. If health resources are more available to people of one background over another, it’s no surprise when the underserved populations have even worse health outcomes. These problems have been around for a long time, but Vascular Cures and other organizations are committed to addressing these root problems and improving minority health outcomes through collaboration with patient partners.

Vascular Cures works with patients and caregivers from a variety of backgrounds. Check out some of the insights from patients and caregivers who come from minority backgrounds on the effects of race/ethnicity on health and care:

“I'm seeing a big barrier of lack of education/awareness of PAD. I have several degrees, but I had no idea what PAD was - I grew up seeing partial limbs and thinking it was just something that had to happen. Education and seeking out where the people of color are will help.”

• Pam, Patient Partner

“You can't tell someone who grew up in a save-face shame-based Asian culture who also thinks their disease process is somehow their fault to go to a support group to talk about their problems. It just doesn't work that way. They are not being non-compliant. They are ashamed."

• Peter, Patient Partner

“I don't know what it is about Mississippi and people of color. They put us all in the same box when we are all different. Our genetic makeup, genes, family health history, are not the same. They don't give us enough to navigate through these uncharted waters when it comes to our health. I didn't have anyone to tell me what to do or what was wrong with me.”

• Genice, Patient Partner

Vascular Cures’ Patients are Partners program is looking for patients or caregivers with lived experience of vascular disease. We partner with you according to your schedule, and opportunities are paid and remote. Join us in improving vascular care and research for all! For more information, visit https://www.vascularcures.org/our-programs/patients-are-partners.

As always, Vascular Cures is eager to partner with anyone who has lived experience with vascular disease - patients, caregivers, and advocates are welcome! If you are interested in joining our Patients are Partners program to be the voice for patients like you, please fill out an interest form here: https://www.vascularcures.org/patients/patients-as-partners

For individuals with severe PAD or Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia, please consider joining our working group or PAD Empowerment initiative - details are here: https://www.vascularcures.org/patients/patient-engagement