“Most men don’t pay attention to their health until they experience something traumatic,” says Philip Horne, but he is hoping to help change that. Being able to talk about your health with your friends, family, and physician is important. That’s why Janssen Oncology partnered with ESSENCE to create a special series featuring Dr. Jen Caudle, a board-certified Family Medicine physician and Associate Professor in the department of Family Medicine at Rowan University-School of Osteopathic Medicine.
There are several diseases, both common and rare, that disproportionally impact the Black population. While multiple myeloma comprises only ~2% of all new cancer cases in the United States, it is the most common blood cancer among the Black population, and they are twice as likely to be diagnosed compared with other Americans. Having a routine healthcare appointment, vocalizing symptoms to your health care providers, and demonstrating urgency when anticipating a diagnosis are all critical components of achieving the best possible treatment outcomes for this serious disease.
Philip and his daughter, Atiera, joined Dr. Jen for a candid conversation about how family and friends can help their loved ones, especially Black men, become better advocates for their health.
Create a Support System
“If you don’t go to the doctor, you don’t know what to expect and how you want to be treated,” says Philip. Atiera emphasizes the importance of advocacy for the patient or the patient’s loved one. “We all come together to empower and support my dad,” says Atiera. “Having another person advocate for you is crucial because without that support system encouraging you to seek out help, you may not do it on your own.”
4 Ways to Become a Self-Advocate
Advocacy is more than just speaking up. It is empowering yourself to take charge of your health. Here are a few ways you can advocate for yourself:
Get Organized. Electronic medical records make it easier than ever to stay on top of information from your phone or your computer. To keep everything all together and easily accessible, you can create a binder to bring with you to your appointments—this is especially useful if you’re managing someone’s care.
Understand Insurance. Start by reviewing basic health insurance terms. Knowing how insurance works can help you lower the possibility that you or your loved ones end up with costly, unexpected medical bills. And speaking of bills, be sure to review each one to make sure both the doctors’ bills and the health plan’s explanations of benefits match up.
Bring a buddy. Oftentimes we can be overwhelmed when getting information regarding a serious diagnosis. It can help to have a trusted partner in the room with you to ask questions and help you advocate for the best care and treatment. Click here to see what questions you can and should ask at every visit with your doctor.
Learn More. Find out what tests are recommended for detecting serious diseases. Your doctor can help you decide which health screenings are right for you.
Watch the video now to hear more about Philip’s journey and click here if you want to see more about identifying diseases.
To learn more about multiple myeloma go to ThatsMyWordMM.com today!
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