The Association of Black Cardiologists has launched an initiative to raise awareness of so-called “cardiology deserts,” Medscape reported Aug. 6.
Cardiology deserts are counties or neighborhoods in which Black residents have little to no access to a cardiologist. The campaign will focus on communities in Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi and Arkansas.
A 2024 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that almost half of all U.S. counties do not have a practicing cardiologist. Rural counties fare even worse, the survey found, as 86% do not have a practicing cardiologist. This rural population accounts for 22 million Americans.
Research from Good Rx found that more than 16 million Black Americans have few or no options for cardiology care, with the majority of cardiology deserts concentrated in the South.
“Higher poverty rates, lower insurance coverage, and less availability of specialists for referrals then translate potentially into more heart attacks, heart failure and complicated care,” Keith Ferdinand, MD, former chief science officer for the Association of Black Cardiologists and Gerald S. Berenson chair in preventative cardiology at the Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, told Medscape.
The JACC study revealed that people in counties without a cardiologist have a life expectancy one year shorter than people in areas with better access. Additionally, CDC data indicate that Mississippi and Louisiana have some of the highest rates of death from heart disease in the U.S.
The campaign will encourage patients to work with their primary care providers to better manage hypertension and lipid levels. Amgen, a biotechnology company, is supporting the campaign with educational initiatives to help patients manage their overall cardiac risk through medications, exercise and diet.
Members of the ABC will evaluate blood pressure and cholesterol levels in community settings, and will offer patients a free cookbook with recipes for “heart healthy” meals, Medscape reported.
