Community support systems help Black men live longer, healthier, happier lives

DR. DANIEL SALAHUDDIN Dr. Daniel Salahuddin, Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Pitt’s School of Medicine, also works as a Psychiatrist at Sto-Rox Family Health Center. There, and in the Hilltop Community Healthcare Center, Dr. Salahuddin sees chronic diseases that impact Black people unequally compared to white people. The diseases include diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and cancers like prostrate and lung. They also include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders like alcohol. These chronic conditions occur disproportionally in Black men largely in part due to racism in all forms, whether it be systemic, structural, or interpersonal. “Black men tend to live in a world of hypervigilance due to these factors,” Dr. Salahuddin says. “They have to be over alert to everyone and everything around them.” Human beings rely on this “fight or flight” response to stay alive. However, constantly being in a state of readiness to battle or run isn’t natural. It’s also not healthy. “Fight or flight produces cortisol, a stress hormone,” Dr. Salahuddin explains. “Cortisol increases inflammation, which can lead to chronic diseases that impact both physical and mental health.” In his practice, Dr. Salahuddin sees health disparities play out,...