Nakita Barnes , MD

Black adults are 40 percent more likely to die from heart disease, stroke, or diabetes than white adults (CDC, 2023). Much of that gap traces back to gaps in primary care: missed screenings, undertreated blood pressure, delayed diabetes diagnosis. A primary care physician (PCP) is the front door to every other specialist. They run the annual checkup, update vaccines, screen for cancer and metabolic disease, manage chronic conditions day-to-day, and refer when something needs deeper expertise.

A landmark Oakland trial (Alsan et al., American Economic Review, 2019) found Black men randomized to a Black PCP agreed to 49 percent more preventive services, especially invasive ones like blood draws, than those assigned a non-Black PCP.

Common reasons to book a Black PCP

• Annual physical, blood pressure and cholesterol check
• Diabetes and prediabetes screening (A1C)
• Colon, breast, cervical, and lung cancer screening referrals
• Chronic disease management: hypertension, asthma, thyroid
• Mental health first-line care and referrals

Advocacy prompts

• What is my blood pressure goal, and what's my plan to hit it?
• Am I due for any cancer screenings based on family history?
• If you're prescribing a new medication, what side effects should I watch for?