Introducing new Spanish language website to address high rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke among Latino communities
Author: Disparity Matters
A recent study reveals significant disparities in perceived discrimination among food pantry clients in Massachusetts, with Hispanic individuals facing the brunt of unfair treatment. The research, conducted by The Greater Boston Food Bank and MassGeneral for Children, sheds light on the challenges faced by marginalized communities seeking food assistance. The study, which surveyed 702 food pantry clients, found that 83% of respondents reported experiencing everyday discrimination, while 54% reported discrimination specifically at food pantries. Hispanic clients were 1.83 times more likely to report discrimination at food pantries compared to non-Hispanic White clients.”Our findings suggest that addressing discrimination is crucial for improving…
In the hallowed halls of Brown University, a group of high school students gathered around a pulse oximeter, unaware they were at the forefront of a critical issue in medical technology. This simple device, used to measure blood oxygen levels, harbors a troubling secret: it’s less accurate for patients with darker skin tones.Dr. Leo Celi, a physician and data scientist, uses this demonstration to highlight a broader concern in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence in healthcare. As AI algorithms increasingly predict patient outcomes, they rely on data that may perpetuate existing racial biases in medicine.The pulse oximeter’s inaccuracy…
A new study published in JAMA Network Open reveals a significant barrier to cancer treatment for individuals of African and Middle Eastern ancestry. Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that many cancer clinical trials automatically exclude participants based on blood neutrophil levels, which are naturally lower in people with the Duffy null blood group – a common trait among those of African and Middle Eastern descent. The study, led by Dr. Andrew Hantel, examined 289 Phase III clinical trials for the five most common cancers in the U.S. The results showed that 76.5% of these trials excluded individuals with neutrophil…
A new study from Northwestern Medicine highlights the pressing need for targeted cardiovascular health interventions for U.S. South Asians, a population with a higher risk of heart problems compared to East Asians and non-Hispanic whites. The research, published in JAMA Cardiology, is the largest lifestyle-intervention trial for this rapidly growing ethnic group in the United States. Dr. Namratha Kandula, lead investigator and professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, emphasizes the significance of this trial in understanding how to support South Asian communities in managing their cardiovascular health. The study involved 549 participants and aimed to address the unique cultural…
In the heart of Brooklyn, One Brooklyn Health (OBH) stands as a beacon of hope for some of New York City’s most vulnerable residents. Yet, as the safety net hospital system embraces a new race-free algorithm to assess kidney function, it faces a stark reality: changing one equation is just the beginning of addressing deep-rooted health disparities. The removal of race from kidney function calculations promises to flag Black patients with kidney disease earlier, potentially saving lives. However, OBH’s experience reveals a more complex picture. Dr. Gilda-Ray Grell, a nephrology fellow, describes the challenge as “astronomical,” with an estimated 350,000…
A large study examining nearly one million births across 68 New Jersey hospitals has revealed that Black women receive unnecessary cesarean sections at significantly higher rates than white women with similar medical backgrounds. Even when Black and white mothers saw the same doctor at the same hospital, Black mothers were approximately 20 percent more likely to undergo C-section delivery.The research, conducted by health economists including Janet Currie of Princeton University, found the disparity was most pronounced among healthy women with low risk factors. In this group, Black women were more than twice as likely to receive C-sections compared to their…
In a move aimed at tackling health inequities, New York state is proposing a new rule that would require health insurance plans to collect demographic information from their members. The initiative, announced by the state Department of Financial Services, seeks to gather data on race, ethnicity, gender, preferred language, and sexual orientation from New Yorkers as they sign up for or renew their insurance coverage. Adrienne Harris (above), superintendent of the Department of Financial Services, emphasized the importance of focusing on the commercial insurance market to address health equity. “When people do health equity policy, they really focus on the public…
A new study from Stanford University reveals that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution has led to disproportionately high death rates among Black Americans. Published in Nature Medicine, the research found that Black individuals face a “double jeopardy” of higher exposure to PM2.5 and greater susceptibility to its adverse health effects due to factors such as poverty, existing medical conditions, hazardous jobs, and lack of access to housing and healthcare. The study, led by Assistant Professor Pascal Geldsetzer, analyzed data from 1990 to 2016 and found that Black Americans had the highest PM2.5-attributable mortality in 96.6 percent of U.S. counties. PM2.5,…
Black Americans experiencing stroke symptoms face significant delays in receiving emergency care, according to a study led by researchers from the University of Michigan and Brown University. Published in Circulation, the study found that Black stroke patients take approximately 28 minutes longer to reach emergency departments compared to their white counterparts. This delay is partly due to emergency medical services (EMS) being 20% less likely to notify hospitals in advance of a Black patient’s arrival. Dr. Regina Royan, the study’s first author and clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, emphasized the urgency of…