Heart Failure Among African-Americans: Suggested Culturally Appropriate Intervention Strategies.

Cardiovascular disease is a serious problem in the United States. It is the most common cause of death among African-Americans. Heart failure is associated with poor health outcomes and a diminished quality of life. Some of the issues that affect the health of African-Americans with heart failure are cost of health care, their access to care, and the quality of that care. The aim of this paper is to identify those issues that are related to cost, quality, and access to health care in African-Americans with heart failure. African-Americans with heart failure usually have less access to health care services than Whites do; moreover, they are also faced with higher costs and a lower quality of care.