Health equity expert shares how cardiovascular disparities can be eliminated

SPECIAL TO THE RECORDER By Roche Communications Staff African Americans are 30 percent more likely to die from heart disease than white Americans, according to the American Heart Association. While Black Americans are 30 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, they are less likely than non-Hispanic white Americans to have their blood pressure under control. Roche Diagnostics Corporation CEO Brad Moore welcomes Octavia Peck Palmer, Ph.D., president of the Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine and a health equity expert, to the Roche stage last week. (Photos provided/Roche Diagnostics) Octavia Peck Palmer, Ph.D., president of the Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine and a health equity expert, challenged Roche Diagnostics Corporation employees to think about health disparities and the impact of cardiovascular disease. The Black History Month celebration event was sponsored by the African American Business Resource Group at Roche Diagnostics North America headquarters, a division of Roche, the world’s largest biotech company and global pioneer in pharmaceutical and diagnostics, which manufactures tests to help diagnose various diseases, including cardiovascular disease. While there can be many reasons for the disparity in statistics, including bias and racism, there are other underlying factors, including diet and lifestyle, as well as...