Empowering Black Americans to learn life-saving skills

(Family Features) – Empower yourself, educate others and elevate your community’s heart health by becoming a cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator champion. Sharing the importance of these life-saving skills can help create a healthier future for generations to come. Black Americans have the highest incidence of cardiac arrest outside of the hospital and are significantly less likely to survive. Cardiac arrest in Black neighborhoods is associated with low treatment and survival rates; studies have shown lower rates of both bystander CPR and bystander AED use in these neighborhoods, according to the American Heart Association. In the U.S., health inequities are systematic differences in the health status of different demographics and are often the result of barriers such as racism, poverty, discrimination, lack of affordable housing, quality education and access to health care. The Nation of Lifesavers campaign from the American Heart Association aims to align the principles of empowerment, community engagement and health equity. Its emphasized message to the Black community is to recognize the importance of fostering heart health education and building a legacy of health. Champion the importance of CPR and AED training by sharing this important information in your community. CPR Because about 70% of out-of-hospital...