Definitions
This skill helps you find, understand, and use health information to make informed decisions about your health. What is it?
Health literacy
You need to drink eight glasses of water every day to stay properly hydrated.
MYTH. Hydration needs vary by person, activity, climate, diet, and other factors.
What does CDC stand for?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
I happen when the force of blood pushing against your artery walls stays too high over time. What condition am I?
Hypertension
This simple habit helps stop germs from spreading and is one of the easiest ways to prevent infections. What is it?
Washing your hands
Differences in health outcomes between different groups of people are known as what?
Health disparities
If two people have the same health insurance, they essentially have similar access to healthcare.
MYTH. Transportation, provider availability, cost, language, location, disability access, and other barriers can still affect access.
In an emergency, you might hear someone yell for CPR. What does CPR stand for?
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
My symptoms can include sneezing, a runny nose, sore throat, and coughing, and antibiotics won't get rid of me. What am I?
The common cold
Checking things like your blood pressure, cholesterol, or certain cancers can help catch health problems early. What are these checks generally called?
Health screenings / preventive screenings
Things like where you live, your education, income, access to food, and transportation can all affect your health. Together, these factors are called what?
Social determinants of health
People with darker skin tones can get sunburned.
FACT. More melanin provides some UV protection, but it does not eliminate the risk.
This condition can affect hormones, periods, and fertility. What does PCOS stand for?
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
I’m an autoimmune disease that can attack different parts of the body, and Black women are disproportionately affected by me. What condition am I?
Lupus
Black women have higher breast-cancer mortality than White women despite not having the highest incidence. What is a prevention strategy?
Regular mammograms
Making sure everyone has the resources and opportunities they need for a fair chance at good health is called what?
Health equity
You can always tell when someone has high blood pressure by looking out for noticeable symptoms.
MYTH. High blood pressure often has no noticeable symptoms, which is why it’s sometimes called a “silent killer.” The only way to know for sure is to have your blood pressure checked.
This autoimmune disease disproportionately affects Black women and can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, and other organs. What does SLE stand for?
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
I cause red blood cells to break down when someone is exposed to certain triggers, and I’m more common in people with ancestry from parts of Africa, Asia, and the Mediterranean. What condition am I?
G6PD deficiency
For people at increased risk of HIV, taking this medication as prescribed can greatly reduce their chance of acquiring HIV. What is it called?
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis)
When attitudes or stereotypes affect our judgments without us consciously realizing it, this is called what?
Implicit bias
Some medical devices and tests can perform differently depending on a patient's skin tone.
FACT.Research has found, for example, that pulse oximeters can be less accurate at detecting low oxygen levels in people with darker skin.
This blood disorder can cause extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, and other complications. What does G6PD stand for?
Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase deficiency
After a cut, piercing, or other skin injury, I can form when scar tissue keeps growing beyond the boundaries of the original wound. I’m more common in people with darker skin tones. What am I?
Keloid
This screening procedure can find and remove precancerous growths before they develop into colorectal cancer. What is it?
Colonoscopy