For Black Women, Healthcare Is Central This Election Cycle

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As election season approaches, Black women are making their voices heard, expressing confidence that Vice President Kamala Harris can address the serious health challenges impacting their lives, families, and futures. With the ongoing maternal mortality crisis and limited abortion rights, many Black women are looking to Harris to restore full reproductive rights.

A Pew Research survey released in August revealed that 82% of Black women voters view Harris favorably, an increase from 67% in May. The shift is largely attributed to her strong anti-abortion stance and her commitment to restoring and protecting access to abortion, as well as her commitment to addressing the dire maternal mortality crisis. It’s no surprise, given that Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications, such as pre-eclampsia, hemorrhaging, and maternal sepsis. Additionally, they face a 43% higher risk of miscarriage compared to white women, according to the medical journal, The Lancet.

Amber Thurman’s Funeral Program Source: Screenshot/Ben Crump / Screenshot/Ben Crump

Under stringent abortion laws, Black women are facing life-threatening situations and, in some instances, imprisonment when confronted with severe complications that may require abortion treatment. The current system has failed Black mothers like Amber Thurman, who tragically lost her life in 2022 due to a rare and severe infection that went untreated for over 17 hours. Medical staff, including doctors, hesitated to act after she took an abortion pill, fearing the implications of Georgia’s Living Infants and Fairness Equality Act, known as the “LIFE Act,” which could classify such a procedure as a felony. As Thurman’s condition worsened, the hospital postponed her surgery for nearly a day, ultimately leading to her death.

We need action now.

Harris has a plan.

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In a September interview with Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR), Harris stated her support for eliminating the filibuster in the U.S. Senate to reinstate federal protections for abortion rights as they existed under Roe v. Wade. She emphasized the need to bypass the 60-vote threshold that currently hinders the passage of legislation on this critical issue.

“I’ve been very clear…We should eliminate the filibuster for Roe, and get us to…. [the] 51 votes… we need to actually put back in law the protections for reproductive freedom and for the ability of every person and every woman to make decisions about their own body and not have their government tell them what to do,” Harris said during her candid sit down with WPR host Kate Archer Kent.

The Vice President has been instrumental in advocating for the maternal health provisions within the Build Back Better Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives in 2021. According to the White House Fact Sheet, the plan aimed to allocate over $3 billion in new funding toward transforming maternal health care, including growing and diversifying the perinatal workforce, enhancing data collection and monitoring of maternal health risks, and addressing the social determinants that contribute to poor maternal outcomes. 

A significant aspect of the proposed legislation is the requirement for all states to provide continuous Medicaid coverage for 12 months postpartum, a move that would eliminate potentially life-threatening gaps in health insurance during a critical period. Current regulations only mandate coverage for 60 days postpartum. Research indicates that many maternal deaths and complications occur beyond this 60-day window, highlighting the urgent need for extended support.

The celebrating Black women gathering Source: Randy Shropshire / Getty

This hits home for me.

I admire how Black women are taking the lead in advocating for better lives, especially young voters like me who are rallying behind Harris. For me, not only reproductive health is important, but health matters generally are. I’ve witnessed my elders face significant medical challenges, often navigating numerous barriers to access support and care.

My cherished grandmother, Minnie, our family’s dedicated matriarch who has held us across generations, has battled diabetes and high blood pressure for over a decade—two conditions that disproportionately affect the Black community and demand urgent attention.

According to the American Heart Association, about 55% of Black adults have high blood pressure, with rates among Black women reaching nearly 58%, compared to around 41% for white and Hispanic women. Furthermore, the death rates from high blood pressure-related causes for Black women are almost double those of white women and more than twice that of Hispanic women. The diabetes epidemic also disproportionately impacts African Americans, with 12.1% living with the disease, the CDC notes.

Historical and systemic factors play a significant role in these alarming statistics, including adverse social determinants of health and the environments in which people are born and raised. Many face challenges such as limited access to healthcare and healthy food options, both of which could be changed with government intervention.

I’ve seen how the healthcare system can be harsh; my grandmother often encounters doctors who dismiss her concerns and rush to prescribe expensive medications without taking the time to listen to her. This cultural disconnect contributes to lower adherence rates to blood pressure medications among Black individuals, fueled by a lack of access and a deep-seated distrust of the healthcare system due to past discrimination.

Black women deserve far better than this. Let’s hope and work together, with Harris’s support, to create a future where our health and reproductive rights are protected.

See also:

Vice President Kamala Harris’ Stance On Reproductive Rights Shines At The DNC

Debate Exposes How Critical Comprehensive Maternal Healthcare Is–Especially For Black Women

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