A new analysis led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health estimates that 68 percent of Chicago children under age six live in households with tap water containing detectable levels of lead.
Tag: Racial Disparities
Black People Half as Likely to Be Evaluated for Genetic Testing as White People
Genetic testing has become a more common way to diagnose and manage many neurologic conditions including dementia, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy, but a new study has found not everyone may have the same level of access to these tests. Black people were half as likely as white people to be evaluated for genetic testing, according to a study published in the March 6, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Intersectional Study of Alcohol Treatment Completion Reveals Significantly Greater Disparities for Women of Color Than Examining by Race or Gender Alone
An intersectional study of alcohol treatment completion rates reveals striking disparities for racial and ethnic minoritized women when compared to White men.
Black and White Adults Have Similar Health Care Expenditure Levels in Racially and Economically Integrated Communities
Differences in health care expenditures between Black and white adults vary substantially with the local level of racial and economic integration, and tend to be low or nonexistent in highly integrated communities, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Aging in place: U-M study highlights racial disparities among older adults
Roughly 40% of older Black adults live with a disability, compared to only one-third of older adults overall.
New Study Shows Substantial Racial and Ethnic Disparities Among Survivors of Second Primary Cancers in the United States
In new findings from researchers at the American Cancer Society, non-Hispanic Black individuals diagnosed with a second primary cancer experienced 21% higher cancer-related death rates and 41% higher cardiovascular-related death rates compared with their non-Hispanic White counterparts.
Study: Black M.D.-Ph.D. students 83% more likely to leave medical school than white students
A new study led by researchers at Yale School of Medicine shines a light on racial disparities in attrition rate from M.D.-Ph.D. programs. In a review of enrollment data from the Association of American Medical Colleges team led by YSM…
Study: Black men are the most frequent victims of off-duty police killings
In a review of 242 incidents where a victim was killed by an off-duty police officer between 2013 and 2021, a Yale School of Medicine-led team finds nearly 40% of the victims were Black men. White men (25.2%) and Hispanic…
Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Representation and Salary among Academic Cardiothoracic Surgeons
The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. A wealth of data has shown that diversity in the physician workforce improves patient care, safety, physician well-being, and innovation; and fair compensation is essential to culturing a diverse workforce.
American Indian/Native American women have lower mammography use even if they have higher income
A new Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute study found that for American Indian/Native American women, living in above-average-income communities was not associated with higher mammography use compared to American Indian/Native American women living in below-average-income communities.
Impact of racism and inequities on African Americans’ sleep and well-being
UCI professor of environmental and occupational health, Karen Lincoln, PhD, shares her expertise in health disparities affecting African Americans built upon the lived experience as an African American woman and through her interdisciplinary training at the Program for Research on African…
Black People Less Likely to Receive Dementia-Related Medications
Black people are receiving medications for dementia less often than white people, according to a preliminary study released today, February 26, 2023, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 75th Annual Meeting being held in person in Boston and live online from April 22-27, 2023.
Cleveland Clinic Launches Initiative Focused on Improving Infant and Maternal Health
Cleveland Clinic launched the Center for Infant and Maternal Health initiative to help reduce infant and maternal mortality in Cuyahoga, Lorain and Summit counties.
Black, Latino People with Epilepsy Less Likely to Be Prescribed Newer Drugs
Among people with epilepsy, Black, Latino and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander people are less likely to be prescribed newer drugs than white people, which can be a marker of the quality of care, according to a study published in the January 11, 2023, online issue of Neurology® Clinical Practice, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Black patients more likely to get emergency colorectal cancer surgery
In an analysis of hospitals across the state of Michigan, University of Michigan researchers found that Black patients were more likely to undergo emergency surgery for colorectal cancer than other races and ethnicities. Emergency surgery was associated with a higher rate of complications, including death.
Racial, ethnic, socioeconomic disparities in insulin pump use have persisted over 20 years
While use of insulin pumps to manage type 1 diabetes has grown over 20 years, there has been no improvement in racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in their use.
Death, hospital readmission more likely for Black patients after coronary stenting
Black patients who undergo minimally invasive procedures for clogged arteries are more likely to die or be readmitted to the hospital months after the procedure, a Michigan Medicine study finds. Results reveal social determinants of health – including community economic well-being, personal income and wealth, and preexisting health conditions – played a significant role in the outcomes.
Stroke Death Rates Are Decreasing, But Race and Sex Disparities Remain
Stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States. This study examined 20-year stroke mortality rate disparities and trends among racial and ethnic groups (White, Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic) and between men and women, particularly with regard…
August Research Highlights
A Roundup of the Latest Medical Discoveries and Faculty News at Cedars-Sinai
U.S. asthma deaths increased for first time in two decades with highest risk to Black, Latino and Native American people
U.S. asthma deaths rose by more than 17 percent in 2020 – from 3,524 to 4,145 – marking the first increase in over two decades. Black, Latino, and Native American people continue to face the highest risk of asthma attacks,…
Race-based spirometry equations may miss emphysema
A secondary data analysis of the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development In Young Adults) Lung study found that emphysema is often detectable on CT scan before spirometry findings become abnormal. The findings suggest that reliance on spirometry alone may result in the underrecognition of impaired respiratory health. Because the discrepancy is particularly present in Black men, this could exacerbate racial disparities. The analysis is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Racism, mistrust exacerbate psychiatric conditions in minority perinatal patients; new approaches needed to reduce healthcare disparities
Deeper understanding of medical mistrust among pregnant and postpartum racial and ethnic minority women, as well as collaborative care models and community partnerships, can help to mitigate racialized healthcare disparities in this patient population, suggests a new paper in Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
Racial Disparities in Health Care Spending, Use Among Medicaid Enrollees
About The Study: In this analysis of nearly 2 million Medicaid enrollees in 2016, compared with white enrollees, Black enrollees generated lower spending and used fewer services, including primary care and recommended care for acute and chronic conditions, but had substantially…
Black, Hispanic People More Likely to Die than White People After Some Types of Stroke
Black and Hispanic people are more likely to die in the first month after certain types of stroke than white people, according to a study published in the June 1, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Studies Find Increase in Use of Proton Beam Therapy for Cancer Care and Increase in Racial Disparities
Two new large studies led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) show an increase in the use of proton beam therapy (PBT) for patients with cancer in the United States during the past decade.
Race of people given Alzheimer’s blood tests may affect interpretation of results
Three of four blood tests used to identify people in early stages of Alzheimer’s disease perform differently in Black individuals compared to white individuals, according to a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Such differences may put Black patients at risk of misdiagnosis.
STUDY FINDS DECREASE IN RACIAL DISPARITY AND INCREASE IN SURVIVAL RATES IN METASTATIC BREAST CANCER PATIENTS DUE TO MEDICAID EXPANSION
Findings from Study Led by Susan G. Komen Scholars Published in JAMA Oncology
Black Patients 24% Less Likely than White Patients to Have a Prostate MRI after Receiving an Elevated PSA Score
A new Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute study of nearly 800,000 men found that between 2011 and 2017 black patients were 24% less likely than white patients to have a prostate MRI after receiving an elevated (prostate-specific antigen) PSA score. For patients with an elevated PSA, use of prostate MRI prior to prostate biopsy has increased substantially in recent years as MRI can improve identification of clinically significant prostate cancer and obviate the need for biopsy, thus decreasing overdiagnosis of these cases. This JAMA Network Open study was based on 794,809 men, age 40 or older, with a PSA test using claims data from the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart Database. Of these men, 51,500 had an PSA score >4ng/mL. The study found that patients with Medicare compared to commercial insurance were less likely to have a prostate MRI as were patients with HMO insurance plans compared to other plan types.
Race, Age, Sex and Language Affected Telemedicine Use by Rheumatology Clinic Patients During COVID-19 Pandemic
New research presented this week at ACR Convergence, the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting, shows a significant lack of fairness among telemedicine and electronic patient portals used by rheumatology clinic patients based on their race, age, sex and English language proficiency.
Intervention eliminates Black-white gaps in survival from early-stage breast and lung cancer
A new study shows that system-level changes to the way cancer care is delivered can also eliminate Black-white disparities in survival from early-stage lung and breast cancer. By identifying and addressing obstacles that kept patients from finishing radiation treatments for cancer, the intervention improved five-year survival rates for all patients and erased the survival gap between Black and white patients. Findings will be presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting.
Has 2014 policy change affected racial disparities in pediatric kidney transplantation?
In a study of children on the U.S. kidney transplant list from 2008 to 2019, researchers found no racial and ethnic disparities regarding time on the waitlist until transplantation either before or after a 2014 policy change.
Mount Sinai Study Identifies Significant Inequalities Among Low-Risk Births, Finds Higher Rates of Unexpected Complications for Black and Hispanic Infants
Hospital quality of care during delivery is a major factor for racial and ethnic disparities among low-risk newborns
Racial Differences in Recovery Following Sports-Related Concussion Identified in Young Black and White Athletes
Researchers examined whether race (Black or White) influences outcomes and subjective experiences in young athletes who have sustained a sports-related concussion. Of primary interest were how long it takes for symptom resolution and return to school as well as changes in daily activities and sports behaviors.
UNC Researchers Awarded $10 Million from PCORI to Study Methods of Reducing Racial Inequities in Maternal Care
A $10-million award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) will allow researchers from the UNC School of Medicine, Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC), and community partners to address a growing problem in the world of maternal healthcare.
Study: Privilege and Politics Impact Disparity in Vaccine Rates
Experts available to discuss how inequities have contributed to uneven COVID-19 vaccine uptake. COLLEGE PARK, MD. – July 30, 2021 – Structural inequalities in the United States are posing “a serious threat to progress” in the push to get people…
COVID-19 Shutdowns Reveal Racial Disparities in Exposure to Air Pollution
A new GW study of COVID-19 shutdowns in the United States reveals pronounced disparities in air pollution — with disenfranchised, minority neighborhoods still experiencing more exposure to a harmful air pollutant compared to wealthier, white communities.
Officers’ tone of voice reflects racial disparities in policing
The Black Lives Matter movement has brought increasing attention to disparities in how police officers treat Black and white Americans. Now, research published by the American Psychological Association finds that disparity may exist even in subtle differences in officers’ tone of voice when they address Black and white drivers during routine traffic stops.
Study Sheds Light on Persistent Racial Disparities in Prostate Cancer Care in the United States
Black men most likely to benefit from advanced prostate cancer therapies are 11 percent less likely to get them than non-Black men. This happens despite apparent equal opportunities in obtaining health care services, a new study in American veterans shows.
NCCN Policy Summit Explores How COVID-19 Pandemic Can Lead to Improvements in Cancer Care
NCCN Policy Summit examines the impact of the past year on oncology policy in the U.S., such as resuming recommended screening and clinical trials, applying health innovations from the COVID-19 pandemic to cancer treatment, and addressing systemic inequalities that lead to disparities in outcomes.
Mount Sinai identifies the causes of racial disparity in prostate cancer in a multi-institutional study
MEDIA ADVISORY Senior Author: Ash Tewari, MBBS, MCh, Professor and System Chairman of the Milton and Carroll Petrie Department of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Director of the Center of Excellence for Prostate Cancer…
Penn Nursing-led Philly Team Awarded $1.4 Million NIH Grant to Expand COVID-19 Outreach
José A. Bauermeister, PhD, and Antonia M. Villarruel, PhD, are leading one of 10 new research teams from across the country that received National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants totaling $14 million to extend the reach of the NIH’s Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities. The Philly CEAL team was awarded $1.4 million from the NIH with additional support from Penn Nursing and The University of Pennsylvania, bringing the total for the alliance to $1.53 million.
When Immigrant Policies are Decriminalized, Babies are Born Healthier
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health led-research finds that criminalizing immigrant policies were associated with higher rates of preterm birth for Black women born outside the U.S.
Racial disparities in death rates from chronic diseases show minimal improvement over last two decades
In a research letter written by colleagues at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the authors report racial disparities improved only minimally in rural areas over the last two decades, with larger improvements occurring in urban areas.
Black Women More Likely To Gain Weight Than White Women After Menopause
In a study published published in the medical journal PLOS ONE, researchers from Rush Institute for Health Aging find that racial disparities play a role in weight gain in older women.
Chicago’s racial wealth gap examined in new UIC report
Interviews by the University of Illinois Chicago’s Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy highlight the precarity of many Black and Latino families who have ‘made it’
Waitlist Policies May Contribute to Racial Disparities in Access to Kidney Transplantation
• Racial disparities in access to kidney transplantation persist in the United States. New research indicates that registering Black patients on the kidney transplant waitlist at a slightly higher level of kidney function compared with white patients might lessen racial inequality in patients’ wait time prior to kidney failure onset, and ultimately improve racial equity in access to kidney transplantation.
Black or Hispanic Kids Receive Less Medical Imaging than White Kids
Large study publishing in JAMA Network Open shows Black and Hispanic children in hospital emergency departments are less likely to have imaging tests, such as X-rays or CT scans, ordered for them compared to White children. The authors attribute this disparity largely to overuse among Whites.
March 2021 highlights from AJPH
Highlights from the AJPH March 2021 Issue.
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.
Study Finds Little Progress in Addressing Racial Disparities for Dementia Risk
While rates of dementia for the U.S. population have been relatively stable or in decline since 2000, rates for Black Americans remain disproportionately high, according to a new study published in JAMA Neurology. Melinda C. Power, ScD, director of the…