The Biden administration is considering new federal rules to protect workers from extreme heat, a move that could safeguard up to 50 million workers, particularly Black and Latinx individuals who are overrepresented in high-risk jobs. The proposed changes to Occupational Safety and Health Act rules would apply to both outdoor and indoor workplaces, addressing the growing threat of heat-related illnesses and deaths. In 2023, the hottest year on record, heat-related deaths in the U.S. tripled compared to recent averages, claiming 2,300 lives. Black and Latinx workers, who make up 45 percent of the outdoor workforce and are heavily employed in warehouse jobs,…
Author: Disparity Matters
A study from the Apple Women’s Health Study, published in JAMA Network Open, reveals that the average age of menarche, or the first menstrual period, has decreased to 11.9 years, while the time to achieve regular menstrual cycles has increased. This trend, observed over the past 55 years, raises concerns about worsening reproductive and overall health, particularly among racial and ethnic minorities. The study analyzed data from over 71,000 women and found that early menarche is associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and early death due to prolonged exposure to estrogen. Additionally, a longer time to cycle regularity…
Newborn screening for cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder affecting the lungs and digestive system, is failing to identify many babies from minority communities, potentially delaying crucial early treatment. The screening process, which includes a blood test for elevated proteins and subsequent genetic testing, is largely based on clinical trials that primarily involved white children.Dr. Meghan McGarry, a pediatric pulmonologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital, explains that the genetic tests focus primarily on mutations found in people of European ancestry. This bias results in a significant disparity in detection rates. While these tests accurately identify an estimated 95 percent of white babies…
Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, accounted for 80% of opioid-related overdoses in the United States in 2023, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The drug claimed the lives of nearly 74,000 Americans in 2022 alone, with Black and Indigenous communities disproportionately affected.CDC data reveals that in 2022, Black Americans experienced fentanyl overdose rates 50% higher than the national average, at 33.7 deaths per 100,000 people. Despite comprising only 13.6% of the U.S. population, Black Americans made up 21.2% of fentanyl deaths. Indigenous people had the second-highest overdose rate at 26.7 deaths per 100,000,…
Asian Americans are 60% less likely to access mental health services compared to other groups, despite 16.8% experiencing mental illness, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health. In an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care, Ali Khawar, principal deputy assistant secretary with the Employee Benefits Security Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor, highlighted the need to address barriers preventing the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community from receiving mental health treatment. Khawar pointed to stigma within the AAPI community as a significant factor discouraging individuals…
People displaced by disasters like tornadoes and wildfires in the U.S. face significant challenges in recovery, with racial and ethnic minorities often disproportionately affected according to a new study. The research, led by Shiloh Deitz at the University of Colorado Denver, analyzed survey data from over 1,200 displaced individuals. The findings show that while disasters can uproot anyone, socioeconomic factors and systemic inequities put some groups at higher risk of displacement and hamper their ability to recover. Black, Hispanic and Native American residents were overrepresented among the disaster-displaced compared to the general population. Many of the displaced struggled to secure…
Black workers are much more likely than their white counterparts to continue working despite being sick, due to lack of paid sick leave and fear of job loss, according to research conducted by the Economic Policy Institute. According to the study, 55% of Black workers in low-wage positions reported working while ill, compared to just 39% of white workers in similar roles. This disparity is largely attributed to the fact that Black workers are overrepresented in industries such as food service, retail, and healthcare, where paid sick leave is often not provided. Elise Gould, a senior economist at the Economic…
A mental health crisis is severely impacting Black men and boys in the United States, leading to rising suicide rates and inadequate care, according to experts at a recent Harvard University symposium. The Hutchins Center for African & African American Research convened the daylong event on May 13 to address the complex factors contributing to the crisis and explore potential solutions. Speakers highlighted that Black men are four times more likely to die by suicide than Black women, and suicide rates among Black boys have risen 60 percent over the past two decades. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu emphasized that stigma and…
A new dataset released by the University of Richmond’s Digital Scholarship Lab is enabling researchers to precisely track the long-term effects of redlining, the discriminatory lending practice that denied loans and investments in predominantly Black neighborhoods. The dataset, called “Mapping Inequality,” combines historical redlining maps with modern census data, allowing for detailed analysis of how the practice has shaped racial disparities and segregation patterns that persist today. Redlining, which began in the 1930s, graded neighborhoods based on perceived lending risk, with areas deemed “hazardous” – often those with high concentrations of Black residents – colored in red. Banks used these…
Lupus disproportionately affects women from racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States, leading to more severe symptoms and higher mortality rates, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC’s National Lupus Registry estimates that over 200,000 Americans have systemic lupus erythematosus, the most common form of the chronic autoimmune disease. While anyone can develop lupus, approximately 90% of those affected are women. Black or African American and Hispanic women are often diagnosed with lupus at a younger age compared to non-Hispanic White women. They also experience more severe symptoms and have…