Black and Hispanic pedestrians face dramatically higher risks of being killed by vehicles on American streets, exposing how decades of discriminatory urban planning have created deadly consequences for minority communities. Recent research reveals that Black pedestrians are more than twice as likely to be struck and killed per mile walked compared to white pedestrians, while Black cyclists face risks 4.5 times higher.The disparity stems from historical patterns of disinvestment and destructive highway construction that carved through minority neighborhoods. Formerly redlined areas, graded D for lending risk in the mid-20th century, experience pedestrian fatality rates more than double those of higher-graded…
Author: Disparity Matters
Developed the “weathering” theory, showing chronic racism caused early health decline, especially in Black mothers and infants.
Improved treatment access, survivorship support, and clinical-trial participation for Black women with breast cancer.
Indigenous communities in the United States face a disproportionate burden of type 2 diabetes (T2D), with rates far exceeding those of other racial and ethnic groups. According to national surveys, Indigenous adults are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes compared to non-Hispanic white adults. Among youth aged 10–19, the prevalence of T2D in Indigenous populations is 1.20 per 1,000—over seven times higher than in white youth.This disparity is not just statistical—it reflects deep-rooted social and historical inequities. Researchers point to colonization, displacement, and loss of traditional foodways as contributing factors. “Food insecurity and colonization have contributed…
A new analysis from researchers at Boston University and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reveals that Black and Hispanic Americans face far greater risks of dying in traffic crashes than White or Asian Americans—especially when accounting for how far people actually travel on foot, by bike, or in cars. The study reports that Black Americans “had the highest traffic fatality rate per mile traveled and across all modes,” followed by Hispanics, Whites, and Asians.The disparities are especially stark for walking and cycling. White Americans biked nearly four times the distance of Black Americans, yet Black cyclists died “at…
Pedestrian fatalities in the United States reveal stark racial disparities that demand urgent attention from policymakers and urban planners. Analysis of six years of national data from 2012 to 2017 shows that Black and Native American pedestrians face disproportionately higher risks of being killed while walking.Black and Native American pedestrians were significantly more likely to be killed in darkness compared to White pedestrians. Among younger pedestrians under age 16, Black and Hispanic children faced elevated fatality risks. Asian pedestrians age 65 and older were 1.7 times more likely to be killed than their White counterparts.Researchers Rebecca Sanders and Robert Schneider…
Investing $210+ million in scientific research on health inequities and expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups in science and medicine
The risk of serious fall injuries among older Americans is climbing at an alarming rate, according to a national study of more than 120 million Medicare claims from 2016 to 2019. The analysis found that age- and sex-adjusted fall injury rates increased by 4.4% over those years, resulting in an estimated 106,000 additional new fall injuries nationwide and more than $1 billion in extra healthcare spending. Incidence rates were not spread evenly: Black and Hispanic older adults accounted for 7.9% and 4.8% of fall injury claims, with non-Hispanic whites making up more than 80%, reflecting both numerical disparities and differences…
Racial disparities in cesarean delivery rates persist across the United States, with the gap widening among more educated women, according to a comprehensive analysis of nearly 3 million low-risk births between 2016 and 2019.Non-Hispanic Black women faced the highest cesarean rates at 27.4%, compared to 25.6% for non-Hispanic Asian women, 23.0% for Hispanic women, and 22.4% for non-Hispanic White women. The study focused on nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex pregnancies—considered low-risk deliveries where cesarean rates should be minimized.Researchers discovered a troubling pattern: while higher education generally reduced cesarean likelihood, this protective effect varied dramatically by race and ethnicity. Non-Hispanic White and…
American Indian and Alaska Native communities face a methamphetamine crisis of alarming proportions, with usage rates nearly four times higher than the general U.S. population. Between 2015 and 2019, approximately 26 out of every 1,000 AI/AN individuals used methamphetamine, compared to just 7 per 1,000 among other Americans.This disparity concentrates heavily in rural areas, where an estimated 62% of AI/AN methamphetamine use occurs, compared to only 20% in non-Native populations. The crisis particularly affects middle-aged individuals and those earning less than $20,000 annually, highlighting how poverty and geographic isolation compound the problem.Researchers analyzing national survey data found that AI/AN methamphetamine…