A new survey reveals alarming rates of discrimination and mental health challenges among Latina women in medical training programs across the United States. The study, published in BMC Medical Education, found that nearly 75% of Latina respondents experienced negative ethnicity-based interactions from others in the medical field during their training. Over half of the 230 survey participants, most of whom were medical students, reported experiencing discrimination from patients and their families as well. The mental health toll was significant, with over 76% of respondents reporting depression or depressive symptoms during their medical training. Many also struggled with anxiety, burnout, and discrimination. These…
Author: Disparity Matters
Black women with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) are facing misdiagnoses and delays in proper treatment, potentially due to racial bias in the healthcare system. Multiple patients reported being initially misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes, leading to years of ineffective management and denial of appropriate medications and technologies. LADA, which affects up to 10% of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, is more similar to type 1 diabetes and requires different treatment. However, misconceptions about race, weight, and age can lead doctors to incorrectly diagnose LADA patients with type 2 diabetes. Phyllisa Deroze, a Black woman, spent eight years misdiagnosed before…
Black Americans remain more likely to die from cancer than their white counterparts, despite overall declining cancer death rates in the United States, a Duke University study reveals. Over the last two decades, the mortality gap has narrowed; in 2000, Black Americans had a 26% higher cancer mortality rate than whites, which decreased to 12% by 2020. The study, led by Tomi Akinyemiju, associate professor at Duke’s Global Health Institute, and Anjali Gupta, a former university scholar, analyzed data from the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics from 2000 to 2020, focusing on lung, breast, prostate, and colon cancers. While…
A groundbreaking study has revealed significant cardiovascular health improvements among American Indian adults following a decade-long decline in blood lead levels. Researchers, supported by the National Institutes of Health, found that participants who experienced the greatest reductions in blood lead levels saw their systolic blood pressure drop by approximately 7 mm Hg, comparable to the effects of blood pressure-lowering medication. The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, focused on 285 American Indian adults from four tribal communities across Arizona, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and South Dakota. These communities often face higher risks of elevated lead exposure due to…
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s recent prostate cancer surgery has spotlighted the often-undiscussed issue of prostate cancer among African American men. Dr. Whitney Smith, a medical expert, states that one in six African American males will be diagnosed with this disease during their lifetime. The African American community is disproportionately affected, yet the topic remains largely unspoken. Courtney Russell, a resident of Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, exemplifies this silent impact. Russell, who was diagnosed 15 years ago following a routine physical for life insurance, was surprised by the diagnosis as he had no symptoms. The case of Secretary Austin, who underwent treatment for…
“Despite improvements in many key meaures, the United States is still failing its children, especially kids of color, as too many children are blocked from reaching essential milestones of wellbeing. Wide and persistent disparities are hindering American Indian or Alaska Native, Black and Latino young people in particular, and all children in every state generally.”
The tragic circumstances surrounding the death of former Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson have reignited discussions about persistent health disparities faced by Black Americans. Johnson, a trailblazer who served as the first registered nurse elected to Congress, died on December 31, 2023, at the age of 89, following what her family describes as negligent care at a rehabilitation facility. Johnson’s son, Kirk, alleges that his mother contracted a fatal infection after being left unattended in unsanitary conditions for an extended period. This distressing incident occurred at a Dallas rehabilitation center where Johnson was recovering from back surgery. The family’s account paints…
A new study by UC Davis Health and Oregon Health & Science University has uncovered significant racial and ethnic disparities in dementia care across the United States. The research, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, reveals that individuals from minoritized populations face greater challenges in receiving timely and accurate dementia diagnoses, as well as appropriate treatment and end-of-life care. The study, which analyzed 71 research papers from 2000 to 2022, found that compared to non-Hispanic whites, minority patients experienced longer delays in diagnosis. For instance, it took 11% longer for Black Americans and 40% longer for Hispanic Americans to receive…
The United States continues to struggle with maternal and infant health, particularly for Black women and babies, according to the latest March of Dimes report card. For the second consecutive year, the U.S. received a D+ grade in “The State of Maternal and Infant Health for American Families” report. The report reveals alarming disparities, with Black mothers facing a preterm birth rate 1.5 times higher than white mothers. Black infants are twice as likely to die before their first birthday compared to white babies. Dr. Elizabeth Cherot, president and CEO of March of Dimes, calls this situation “simply unacceptable.” Early data from…
A recent cross-sectional study of 150 neighborhoods in Durham County, North Carolina, has revealed a strong association between indicators of structural racism and the prevalence of chronic diseases such as chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and hypertension. The research, led by Dinushika Mohottige, MD, MPH, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, was published in JAMA Network Open.The study found that neighborhoods with higher burdens of structural racism, characterized by lower economic and racial spatial advantage, higher area deprivation, and higher rates of reported violent crimes, evictions, poverty, unemployment, and uninsurance, had greater prevalence of the aforementioned chronic conditions.…