American Journal of Medical Quality supplement explores innovative solutions to health care quality and performance improvement

July 2, 2021 – For health care organizations looking to improve performance and patient experiences, implementing data-driven solutions can be effective when focusing on addressing health equity and reducing patient length of stay. These topics are explored in selected member-submitted abstracts…

UCLA Health receives $4.8M NIH grant to improve genetic estimates of disease risk in diverse populations

UCLA Health will receive a $4.8 million grant from The National Institutes of Health to develop methods that will improve genetic risk estimates – polygenic risk scores – for specific diseases in people from diverse populations and mixed ancestries.

HEALTH EQUITY IS FOCUS OF NEW DATA SHARING INITIATIVE

Data Across Sectors for Health (DASH) announced a new national program to advance health, equity and well-being through data sharing partnerships between communities and states. DASH, led by the Illinois Public Health Institute and Michigan Public Health Institute, developed the Learning and Action in Policy and Partnerships in partnership with the Center for Health Care Strategies.

June 4 Research Highlights from ACSM Annual Meeting

ACSM’s comprehensive sports medicine and exercise science conference takes place virtually from June 1 to 5 with programming covering the science, practice, public health and policy aspects of sports medicine, exercise science and physical activity. View program highlights.

ACSM Annual Meeting Research Highlights for June 1

ACSM’s comprehensive sports medicine and exercise science conference kicks off June 1 with programming covering the science, practice, public health and policy aspects of sports medicine, exercise science and physical activity. View program highlights.

Cancer Research Institute Celebrates Ninth Annual Cancer Immunotherapy Month™

Cancer Research Institute celebrates progress in cancer immunotherapy research, announces new initiatives aimed at addressing racial and ethnic disparities in cancer treatment and academic research, during ninth annual Cancer Immunotherapy Month this June.

UCLA Health Receives $750K Department of Commerce Grant to Fund COVID-19 Innovation That Prioritizes Health Equity

UCLA Health has received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to scale healthcare innovations for COVID-19 response and recovery and to support health equity through BioFutures, a new LA County workforce development program for diversity in the biosciences.

UChicago Medicine’s community benefit investment totals $567.1 million in fiscal 2020

The UChicago Medicine health system provided $567.1 million in community benefits and services to the South Side, and UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial provided $89.5 million to Harvey and nearby areas.

FSMB Launches Task Force on Health Equity and Medical Regulation

The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) has launched the Task Force on Health Equity and Medical Regulation. The Task Force will evaluate education and training programs to assist state medical and osteopathic boards in identifying opportunities for understanding and addressing systemic racism, implicit bias, and health inequity in medical regulation and patient care.

Rutgers Cancer Health Justice Lab Creates COVID-19 Educational Video in Spanish

COVID-19 disproportionately impacts Latinx families more than any other racial and ethnic group, yet there are few available resources to mitigate these risks. The Rutgers School of Public Health’s Cancer Health Justice Lab has launched an educational COVID-19 video in Spanish to address the lack of resources available to Latinx families.

Leading Health and Cancer Advocacy Groups Unite to Reduce Racial Disparities in Cancer Care

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) presented new ideas for overcoming inequality in oncology. The recommendations address how medical systems often disproportionately fail minority patients.

Roswell Park Awarded Nearly $2 Million to Study Cause of Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer

A research team headed by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center epidemiologist Zhihong Gong, PhD, has been awarded a five-year, $1.9 million grant from the National Cancer Institute for an investigation into the role that certain genetic molecules play in breast cancer disparities.

How to talk to patients of color about the COVID-19 vaccine amid hesitancy and mistrust

A new Annals of Internal Medicine editorial co-authored by a University of Chicago Medicine health disparities researcher offers practical tips for clinicians to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine with patients of color who may be hesitant to get vaccinated.

MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING ANNOUNCES NEWLY ENDOWED CHAIR AND FELLOWSHIPS FOR HEALTH EQUITY AND DIVERSITY

The new positions reflect MSK’s commitment to expanding patient access to cancer care and supporting ongoing research aimed at reducing cancer disparities that stem from racial, ethnic, cultural, or socioeconomic barriers.

Black churches are trusted messengers of COVID-19 information to their communities, Mayo study finds

U.S. public health officials have reported that Black communities are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with higher infection and mortality rates than the general population. Now as the number of COVID-19 cases across the U.S. surge, Mayo Clinic researchers are working closely with Black churches on disparities in emergency preparedness and providing access to culturally relevant, evidence-based health information.

December Issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology Highlights Health Disparities and Social Determinants of Health

The December issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology is now available and features new clinical research across a wide range of gastroenterology and hepatology topics, including health disparities, colorectal cancer, cirrhosis, pediatric gastroenterology, the environmental impact of endoscopy, and more.

New Study Finds Once Hospitalized, Black Patients with COVID-19 Have Lower Risk of Death than White Patients

A team of investigators at NYU Langone Health has found that once hospitalized, Black patients (after controlling for other serious health conditions and neighborhood income) were less likely to have severe illness, die, or be discharged to hospice compared to White patients.

Rutgers Institute for Health Receives $10M to Study Health and Well-Being in New Jersey

The Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research has received $10 million in funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Rutgers University to support the New Jersey Population Health Cohort study – the largest study to date to explore factors that influence health and well-being in New Jersey.

Wayne State University and Karmanos Cancer Institute to host two-day symposium focused on advancing health equity and the impact of COVID-19

Wayne State University and the Karmanos Cancer Institute will host the “Community-Engaged Research Symposium to Advance Health Equity: The Impact of Coronavirus Now and in the Future,” on Dec. 1 and 2. The virtual symposium is free and open to the public.

UChicago Medicine joins BOOST-3 national trial to investigate treatments for traumatic brain injuries

As part of nationwide study to improve trauma care for severe brain injuries, researchers at UChicago Medicine are working to engage South Side residents and ensure representation among underrepresented communities.

Rush Medical College Receives Foreman Award for Outstanding Community Engagement

Rush Medical College has won the American Association of Academic Medical Colleges Spencer Foreman community engagement award for efforts that “go well beyond the traditional role of academic medicine and reaches communities whose needs are not being met through the traditional health delivery system.”

Rutgers Dean Receives Award for Acclaimed Book on Realities and Challenges Faced by Three Generations of Gay Men

Rutgers School of Public Health Dean, Perry N. Halkitis, has received the Distinguished Book Award from the American Psychological Association’s Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity for Out in Time: The Public Lives of Gay Men from Stonewall to the Queer Generation.

Developing Culturally Responsive Strategies to Help African American Women Overcome Barriers to Good Heart Health

Research has shown African American women have disproportionately higher rates of cardiovascular disease risk factors compared to their white counterparts. UK College of Health Sciences assistant professor Brandi White has been working with African American women living in public housing on Lexington’s East End to develop culturally responsive strategies to overcome social and economic barriers to a heart-healthy lifestyle and reduce their cardiovascular disease risk.

Yale Cancer Center launches Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity

Yale Cancer Center (YCC) announces the launch of the Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity (CEHE). Building on YCC’s longstanding commitment to high-quality, expert, and patient-centered cancer care, screening, and prevention across the state of Connecticut, the new Center is dedicated to ensuring cancer health equity and improving outcomes with an emphasis on traditionally underserved neighborhoods.

Researchers begin major study aimed at improving health equity in New Jersey

The New Jersey Population Health Cohort Study, now in the design phase, will collect biometrics, survey responses and other granular data over time on major outcomes such as stress, resilience, trauma and cognitive function from a broad cross-section of the population across multiple generations, with additional targeting of low-income residents and diverse immigrant groups.

$10M gift from Tadataka and Leslie Yamada will fuel U-M efforts to improve the world’s health

For decades, University of Michigan teams have tackled some of the world’s toughest health challenges through research, education and global partnership. Now, thanks to a new $10 million gift, those teams will have new resources to think even bigger, work together and with global partners more effectively, and make a greater positive impact on the health and health care of people with the greatest need worldwide.

Dr. Susan L. Freeman Appointed Provost, Rush University

Dr. Susan L. Freeman will become Rush University’s provost and senior vice president, beginning October 1. In this role, Freeman will serve as the University’s chief operating officer responsible for coordinating and overseeing the implementation of the University strategic plan and advancing its population health equity mission, while promoting integration with Rush University Medical Center and the Rush University System for Health.