Raising awareness about kidney disease in Latino community, which is disproportionately affected
Author: Disparity Matters
Studying factors contributing to oral health inequities and identify effective interventions.
Improving early detection and treatment of breast cancer by partnering with local organizations and healthcare providers
In a surprising twist, researchers have found that including race in colon cancer prediction algorithms may actually help reduce health disparities. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences challenges the growing trend of removing race from clinical algorithms, revealing that race-adjusted models can lead to more accurate cancer risk predictions for Black patients. The research team analyzed data from over 77,000 participants in the Southern Community Cohort. They discovered that Black participants were more likely to report unknown family histories of cancer, a crucial factor in predicting colorectal cancer risk. This data discrepancy resulted in…
A new study challenges the growing trend of removing race from medical algorithms, revealing that race-adjusted tools for predicting colorectal cancer risk may actually help reduce health disparities. Researchers from Cornell University, the University of Chicago, and the University of California, Berkeley, found that including race in these predictive models leads to more accurate risk assessments for Black patients. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, analyzed data from 77,836 diverse participants in the Southern Community Cohort. By developing two algorithms – one race-blind and one race-adjusted – the team compared their effectiveness in predicting colorectal…
In a bold move to combat maternal mortality, California has unveiled an ambitious plan to halve pregnancy-related deaths by the end of 2026. Despite already boasting the nation’s lowest maternal mortality rate, the state recognizes persistent racial disparities that demand urgent attention. The initiative, dubbed “Strong Start & Beyond,” was announced on September 17 by California Surgeon General Diana E. Ramos, MD, MPH, MBA. It aims to tackle a crisis where Black women face a threefold higher risk of dying from pregnancy-related complications compared to white women. “Although California has made significant progress on improving maternal health outcomes, we’re still losing too…
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open has uncovered significant racial and socioeconomic disparities in how preventive care is billed and denied by insurance companies, potentially exacerbating existing health inequities in the United States. The research, led by a team of health economists, analyzed data from over 1.5 million patients and found that insurers deny preventive care claims for patients from marginalized communities at higher rates than for those from majority groups. This is despite the Affordable Care Act’s mandate that preventive services should be free for millions of Americans. According to the study, low-income patients were 43%…
Utilizing data-driven strategies to address health disparities in breast and cervical cancer screening among underserved U.S. populations
Black stroke patients arrive at hospitals later and are less likely to have emergency medical services (EMS) notify hospitals ahead of their arrival, according to a study led by researchers from the University of Michigan and Brown University. Published in Circulation, the study found that Black patients took approximately 28 minutes longer to reach emergency care after showing stroke symptoms compared to other patients. The median time for any patient to get to the hospital after stroke symptoms was 176 minutes. Dr. Regina Royan, the study’s first author and clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Michigan…
Integrating traditional Hawaiian healing practices with modern medical care to build trust and improve health outcomes