Breast Cancer Study: African Americans Not Experiencing Complete Response to Extent Other Groups Are

Researchers at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center led the largest study to date to suggest an improving trend in pathologic complete response rates over time for U.S. cancer patients of various races. The team’s findings, documented in a poster presentation at the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology virtual annual meeting (abstract 575), show that African Americans are more likely than patients from any other group to have remaining disease following breast cancer treatment.

Alarming Rising Trends in Suicide by Firearms in Young Americans

Researchers explored suicide trends by firearms in white and black Americans ages 5 to 24 years from 1999 to 2018. From 2008 to 2018, rates of suicide by firearms quadrupled in those ages 5 to 14 years and increased by 50 percent in those ages 15 to 24 years. Suicide deaths by firearms were more prevalent in white than black Americans – a marked contrast with homicide by firearms, which are far more prevalent in black than white Americans.

Study finds racial disparities in concussion symptom knowledge among college athletes

Among collegiate football players and other athletes, Black athletes recognize fewer concussion-related symptoms than their White counterparts, reports a study in the May/June issue of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation (JHTR). The official journal of the Brain Injury Association of America, JHTR is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

Racial, Gender and Socioeconomic Factors Linked to Likelihood of Getting Proven Treatment for Diabetes

A new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found significant disparities in the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, a class of drugs proven to treat type 2 diabetes, with usage remaining low with Black, Asian, and lower-income groups despite an increase in overall usage for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Ancestry estimation perpetuates racism, white supremacy

Ancestry estimation — a method used by forensic anthropologists to determine ancestral origin by analyzing bone structures — is rooted in “race science” and perpetuates white supremacy, according to a new paper by a forensic anthropologist at Binghamton University, State University of New York.

Black History Month is important to a world hurting from racial injustices, pandemic

February is Black History Month when the contributions, customs and achievements of African Americans are celebrated. But as the country deals with racial injustice and civil unrest, these 28 days take on greater importance, says Earl Lewis, University of Michigan professor of history and Afroamerican and African studies and director of the U-M Center for Social Solutions.

Strange colon discovery explains racial disparities in colorectal cancer

The colons of African-Americans and people of European descent age differently, new research reveals, helping explain racial disparities in colorectal cancer – the cancer that killed beloved “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman.

Rethinking Race and Kidney Function

Removing race from clinical tools that calculate kidney function could have both advantages and disadvantages for Black patients.

Newly diagnosed patients and those whose kidney disease is reclassified as more severe would have greater access to kidney specialists, faster access to the kidney-transplant waitlist.

On the flipside, patients reclassified as having more severe kidney disease may become ineligible for heart, diabetes, pain control and cancer medications or may be given lower doses for these drugs.

A new kidney function score would also increase the number of Black individuals ineligible to donate a kidney, potentially exacerbating organ shortages for Black people.

Researchers caution that clinicians and policy makers must anticipate both the benefits and downsides of changes to the current formula to ensure that Black patients are not disadvantaged, and
health disparities are not exacerbated.

Scientists say the analysis should motivate researchers and cl

Racial attitudes in a community affect COVID-19 numbers

There is a growing body of evidence showing that racial and ethnic minorities are more affected by severe illness, and more likely to be hospitalized, from COVID-19 compared to white people. This disparity can be only partially explained by the disproportionate rates of underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and obesity, seen among Black/African American people.

Surgeon General expects COVID-19 vaccine to be available by year’s end

In a wide-ranging talk with UCLA Health physicians, Wednesday, Oct. 28, United States Surgeon General Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, addressed the politicization of the pandemic and the means of containing the spread of COVID-19. He also offered hope that a vaccine for the virus will be available by year’s end.

Study examines racial and ethnic disparities among COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts

In a new study published in Health Affairs, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health examines the association between community-level factors and COVID-19 case rates across 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts between January 1 and May 6, 2020.

STUDY POINTS TO HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG FORMER NFL PLAYERS

At a glance:

In a study of former NFL players, Black, Hawaiian, and athletes from other racial backgrounds report worse physical, mental health outcomes than white players
The widest health gaps emerged between Black and white former NFL players
Black former players reported worse health outcomes in all five health categories, compared with their white peers
Presence of health disparities among former NLF players reflects the deep and pervasive nature of systemic inequities that persist even among elite athletes

NAU professors examine the role racial disparities play in mortality rates of rural, urban residents

In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers collected nationally representative data from 3,131 U.S. counties between 1968-2016, and looked at historical trends in death rates between older black and white adults living in different communities.

How Hospitality Industry Should Address Discrimination

After the worldwide protests that erupted over the killing of George Floyd, it is hard for me to imagine any person, company, or institution, continuing to discount the role that racism plays in our society. People all over are demanding an end to racial discrimination that is embedded in our social systems.  In hospitality, emerging research has shined light on the perception of discrimination among industry workers, but personally, it comes as no surprise to me.

Studies examine how race affects perceptions of law-involved Blacks, school discipline

The extent of discriminatory treatment Black adults and children experience at every point of contact within the legal system and the biases that result in Black children’s behavior being managed more harshly in school are detailed in two new analyses from researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Juneteenth Explained: ‘History Doesn’t Repeat Itself; People Do’

Today, Juneteenth — which celebrates the abolition of slavery — coincides with protests across the U.S. against racial injustice. Society has become inspired to renew their interest in African American history — a legacy filled with tragedy, inequality, resilience and survival. In a Q&A session, UK’s Vanessa Holden shares her expertise and insight on the holiday.

Two-thirds of African Americans know someone mistreated by police, and 22% report mistreatment in past year

Sixty-eight percent of African Americans say they know someone who has been unfairly stopped, searched, questioned, physically threatened or abused by the police, and 43 percent say they personally have had this experience—with 22 percent saying the mistreatment occurred within the past year alone, according to survey results from Tufts University’s Research Group on Equity in Health, Wealth and Civic Engagement.

Tips for discussing racism with your children

As protests pushing for police reform and racial justice spread across the U.S., parents may find themselves needing to discuss difficult topics with their children. Parents should think of it as an ongoing conversation, says Laura Bronstein, dean of the…

Tearing down statues won’t end structural racism

Confederate monuments are being torn down across the United States as the protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd continue. While the Confederate statues represent a step backwards, tearing them down will not end structural racism, says Anne Bailey,…

Civil rights scholar available to discuss racism, George Floyd protests

Anne Bailey, Binghamton University Professor of History and Director of the Harriet Tubman Center for the Study of Freedom and Equity, is available to discuss a variety of issues in relation to the George Floyd protests and race in America.…

We should not be afraid to discuss reparations for slavery

The issue of slavery reparations needs to be addressed in order to heal racial divisions today, according to Anne C. Bailey, professor of history at Binghamton University, State University of New York, civil rights scholar and contributor to the prize-winning…

The ‘old world is gone.’ Protests express a vision of the society people want after COVID-19, UB expert says

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Henry Louis Taylor Jr., professor of urban and regional planning in the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning, is available to speak with media about the impassioned protests occurring across America against racism and social…

Civil rights scholar: “I fear for my Black son every day”

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, whose last words were “Momma, I’m through,” civil rights scholar and Binghamton University Professof of History Anne C. Bailey discusses the constant fear that Black mothers hold for their sons.  “As…

Study: Exposure to police violence may be more impactful for individuals who perceive police as a threat to their personal safety

New research from the Race and Opportunity Lab in the Brown School’s Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis sheds light on youths’ reactions to social media videos showing violence in their communities. “Exposure to police violence may be more impactful for individuals who perceive police as a threat to their personal safety,” the lead author said.

Racial Inequalities in Liver Cancer Deaths Soared After Launch of Hepatitis C Drugs

A study explored racial inequalities in death from liver cancer before and after the introduction of lifesaving drugs for hepatitis C. Results showed that from 1979 to 1998, racial inequalities in mortality from liver cancer in the U.S. were declining. But, from 1998 to 2016, of the 16,770 deaths from liver cancer among blacks, the excess relative to whites increased from 27.8 percent to 45.4 percent. Concurrently, racial inequalities in death decreased for major risk factors for liver cancer, such as alcohol and diabetes.

WashU Expert: Don’t overlook health equity during coronavirus crisis

We must consider this coronavirus crisis as a wake-up call to prioritize equity and challenge ourselves to consider how to better serve historically underserved communities, says a public health expert at Washington University in St. Louis.“In the middle of a pandemic, it is easy to overlook health equity,” said Darrell Hudson, associate professor at the Brown School.

If you’re poor, poverty is an environmental issue

A survey from Cornell researchers – conducted among more than 1,100 U.S. residents – found that there were, in fact, demographic differences in how people viewed environmental issues, with racial and ethnic minorities and lower-income people more likely to consider human factors such as racism and poverty as environmental, in addition to more ecological issues like toxic fumes from factories or car exhaust.

Cancer survival disparities in minority children, adolescents greater for more treatable cancers

Racial and ethnic minority children and adolescents with cancer have a higher risk of death than non-Hispanic white children and adolescents, with evidence for larger disparities in survival for more treatable cancers, finds a new study from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.“The results suggest that there are modifiable racial and ethnic disparities in childhood cancer survival,” said Kim Johnson, associate professor and senior author of “Associations Between Race/Ethnicity and US Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Survival by Treatment Amenability,” published Feb.