Rafiki Coalition has adopted a holistic integrated approach to addressing the significant health disparities within San Francisco’s Black community compared to all other ethnic groups. African-Americans are disproportionately impacted by heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, HIV/AIDS and certain types of cancer.

Neighborhood and Life Expectancy
Approximately 1/3 of San Francisco’s Blacks live in the Bayview/Hunters Point district. Over half of the land in San Francisco zoned for industrial use is located in the Bayview/Hunters Point area, creating poor air quality and significant environmental health conditions. Residents of San Francisco’s Bayview/Hunters Point neighborhood have a life expectancy that is on average 14 years shorter than their counterparts on Russian Hill. The Bayview has the highest number of children in San Francisco but the lowest number of pediatricians.

Self-Care Tips during Covid

Covid-19 

Has disproportionally impacted Black and LatinX populations overall, with the highest death rate disparities  in San Francisco in Black/African American and Asian American communities. Please join us for our ASK YOUR BLACK DOCTOR Townhall series, or visit us at our Testing Sites, or Vaccination Sites so we can continue to fight these health disparities and increase our wellness!

Cancer
Although more white women in San Francisco develop breast cancer, more African-American women die from it.
African-Americans are less likely to survive for 5 years after being diagnosed with cancer than whites at all stages of diagnosis.
Tobacco smoke is linked to 60% of cancer deaths among African-American men in the western United States.

Diabetes
23.5 million, or 10.7%, of all people aged 20 years or older have diabetes.
3.7 million, or 14.7%, of all African-Americans aged 20 years or older have diabetes, compared to 14.9 million, or 9.8%, of all non-Hispanic whites in the same age category.
One in four African-American women over 55 years of age has diabetes.
The San Francisco Department of Public Health estimates that, of African-American women in San Francisco over 45 years of age, over 40% have some form of diabetes.
Heart Disease
Blacks have the highest death rate due to ischemic heart disease in San Francisco.
Ischemic heart disease is the number one contributor to the overall burden of disease and injury in the Visitacion Valley-Sunnydale neighborhood, as measured by premature deaths in San Francisco.
Ischemic heart disease is the second leading contributor to the overall burden of disease and injury in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, as measured by premature deaths in San Francisco.

Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C is transferred through blood-to-blood contact and from an infected person through unprotected sexual contact.
In 2010, San Francisco’s African-American population comprised 34.7% of all Hepatitis C infections in San Francisco, while only constituting 7.3% of the city’s total population. (Source: San Francisco Hep C Task Force)
According to the Centers for Disease Control, as of 2012, African-Americans represent 13% of the US population, but comprise 22% of the chronic Hepatitis C cases. (Source: CDC)
A 2010 report states that African-Americans with Hepatitis C genotype 1 (one of six genotypes of HCV) have a treatment success rate of 30%, while the treatment success rate is 50% for the overall US population. (Source: San Francisco Hep C Task Force)
According to the Centers for Disease Control, from 2004 through 2008, the highest mortality rates from Hepatitis C were observed among blacks. (Source: CDC, table 4.5)

Learn more. Link to sfhepc.org
High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease (CHART)
African-Americans have a 1.5 times greater rate of heart disease death and a 1.8 times greater rate of fatal stroke than white Americans.
The prevalence of high blood pressure among blacks in the U.S. is among the highest in the world.

HIV/AIDS

While overall numbers of new infections have decreased there is still a disparity in Black/African American and LatinX men’s new infections rates as compared with other groups, African American women are the fastest growing population with new infections.

Obesity
40% of African-American adults in California are obese and 36% are overweight.
The majority (68%) of African-American females are overweight and 38% are obese.

Physical Activity
48% of African-Americans polled by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that they did not participate in the recommended levels of physical activity for their health (30 minutes of moderate physical activity, 5 days a week).

Violence and Traumatic Stress
Violence is the leading cause of death among African-American men in San Francisco.
Despite the higher risk for traumatic stress within the African-American community, it is often under-recognized, under-diagnosed and under-treated.