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HEAL for Black People: Health Equity and Advocacy Learning

HEAL: Black Health Equity Article Series

Eleven articles by UK doctors on the health conditions that affect Black people differently, from high blood pressure and cancer to menopause and maternal health.

  1. A Black health worker in a green cardigan chats with a young man, a woman in a mustard jumper and an older man in a flat cap around a table of leaflets in a bright community hall.

    Introduction

    Why we built HEAL

    Black people in the UK and around the world face avoidable gaps in health, from maternal deaths to high blood pressure, driven by racism, deprivation and barriers to care. HEAL is a series by UK doctors that sets out those gaps condition by condition, because education is one of the fastest ways to start closing them.

    Dr Itunuoluwa Johnson-SogbetunVideo length 13:54
  2. An older Black couple prepare fresh peppers, spring onions and herbs together in their kitchen, with brick terraced houses visible through the window.

    Vascular health

    The hidden weight on Black hearts

    Black people carry a heavier burden of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and stroke, largely because of social conditions, salt-heavy seasonings and unequal access to care. Knowing your numbers and following the ABCDE of prevention (alcohol, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and diet, exercise) can lower that risk.

    Dr Izie Allison-OmoruyiVideo length 6:24
  3. A young Black woman in a pink jumper talks with a Black woman GP wearing a stethoscope in a consulting room with an examination couch.

    Women's health

    The conditions Black women are told to live with

    Fibroids, endometriosis, PMOS (formerly PCOS) and infertility affect Black women more often or more severely, yet their symptoms are frequently dismissed. Painful or very heavy periods are not normal: keep a symptom diary, ask about these conditions by name, and seek a second opinion if you are not being heard.

    Dr Aziza SesayVideo length 26:03
  4. An older Black man in a navy jumper listens as a Black male doctor with a stethoscope explains something in a hospital consulting room.

    Cancer risk

    Cancer does not have to be more common to be more deadly

    Most cancers are not more common in Black people in England, but they are more often found at a later stage, when they are harder to treat. Knowing the warning signs, taking up every NHS screening invitation and asking about prostate testing from 45 are the most powerful ways to close that gap.

    Dr Itunuoluwa Johnson-SogbetunVideo length 13:27
  5. A young Black woman in a white T-shirt sits on her bed applying moisturiser to her arm, beside a sash window and a black radiator in a bright flat.

    Skin health

    Our skin is not immune

    Black skin is more prone to eczema, scalp conditions and dark marks after acne, and these often look different from textbook pictures, so they can be missed. Skin cancer is rarer in Black people but is more often found late, usually on the palms, soles or under the nails, so regular self-checks matter.

    Dr Yvonne AbimbolaVideo length 19:50
  6. An older Black man in a flat cap and grey coat walks and laughs with a Black woman in a green coat and mustard scarf along a leaf-covered path in a London park in autumn.

    Muscular and joint health

    The vitamin D gap in our joints

    Dark skin makes less vitamin D from sunlight, and low vitamin D is very common in Black adults. The NHS advises people of African or African-Caribbean heritage to consider 10 micrograms (400 IU) a day all year round. Persistent joint pain, stiffness or fatigue deserves proper assessment, not dismissal.

    Dr Jessica KatangaVideo length 7:48
  7. Three older Black men laugh together in a barbershop, one seated in the barber's chair wearing a cape, with a London street and a red bus visible through the window.

    Men's health

    Brothers, it is time we talked

    About 1 in 4 Black men in the UK will get prostate cancer, double the risk of men overall, and they are more likely to be diagnosed late. Black men aged 45 and over should talk to their GP about PSA testing, and any change in urination, erections or testicles should be checked early.

    Dr Derek Adu-SarkodieVideo length 16:48
  8. A pregnant Black woman smiles on an examination couch as a Black midwife in a navy tunic measures her bump with a tape measure.

    Maternal, perinatal and child health

    Safer beginnings for Black mothers and children

    Black women in the UK are 2.7 times more likely than white women to die during pregnancy or soon after, and Black babies are more than twice as likely to be stillborn. Racism, bias, missed antenatal care and deprivation all contribute, and income or education alone does not close the gap.

    Dr Zaneta Forson-DareVideo length 13:12
  9. A Black woman in a mustard jumper measures her own blood pressure with an upper-arm cuff monitor at her kitchen table, beside a notebook and a cup of tea.

    Special feature

    Hypertension works differently in Black bodies

    High blood pressure is more common in Black people, is more sensitive to salt, and often starts younger. In the UK it is diagnosed at 140/90 in clinic or 135/85 at home, and adults of Black African or Caribbean origin without diabetes usually start with a calcium channel blocker such as amlodipine.

    Dr Itunuoluwa Johnson-SogbetunVideo length 18:44
  10. Two Black women, one in a green blouse and one in a red cardigan, laugh over cups of tea and a slice of cake in a high street café.

    Empower Her

    Black women and menopause

    Black women tend to reach menopause one to two years earlier than white women and often have hot flushes and night sweats for longer, around ten years in one large study. HRT is the most effective treatment, and for most women under 60 its benefits outweigh the risks.

    Dr Itunuoluwa Johnson-SogbetunVideo length 1:19:12
  11. A Black woman in a knitted jumper writes in a notebook at a round table in her living room, with her phone and a mug of tea beside her and terraced houses outside the window.

    Conclusion

    From struggles to solutions

    Black health inequities come from overlapping causes: historic injustice, deprivation, barriers to care, stress and mistrust. Patients can go to appointments prepared, bring support and ask for second opinions, while clinicians can use the BRIGHT CARE framework to deliver fairer, more trusted care.

    Dr Tosin Ajayi-SotuboVideo length 15:16