Prostate cancer cases are climbing across America, but Black men face a crisis that dwarfs the national trend. A new report from the American Cancer Society reveals troubling racial gaps in both diagnosis and survival rates that demand urgent attention. Black men experience prostate cancer at dramatically higher rates than any other group, with 191.5 new cases per 100,000 men compared to 118.3 across all races. They’re also diagnosed younger, at a median age of 65 versus 67-69 years for other groups. Most alarming is their death rate of 36.9 per 100,000 men—nearly double the national average of 19.2. The…
Author: Disparity Matters
Advanced Indigenous health by providing mobile HIV/STI testing, education, and culturally responsive interventions.
New evidence reveals a sharp reversal in prostate cancer trends across the United States, with advanced-stage diagnoses climbing rapidly and survival gains stalling—issues that hit Black men hardest. According to the American Cancer Society, the rate of new prostate cancer cases has increased 3% annually from 2014 to 2021, with advanced-stage disease rising 4.6% to 4.8% each year. Meanwhile, deaths have declined by just 0.6% annually in the last decade, a marked slowdown from previous decades. Racial disparities stand out. Black men experience the highest age-adjusted rate of new diagnoses—191.5 per 100,000 compared to 118.3 for all races combined—and the…
A dramatic resurgence of syphilis in the United States is exposing stark racial and geographic health disparities, according to a new study published in BMC Infectious Diseases. Between 2018 and 2022, syphilis cases rose nearly 79%, with the highest rates found among American Indian/Alaska Native and Black/African American populations. In 2022, American Indian/Alaska Native individuals had nearly 18 times the odds of infection compared to White Americans, while Black/African Americans had seven times the odds.The study also found that South Dakota, where American Indian/Alaska Native communities make up a significant portion of the population, reported the highest rates of syphilis…
Prostate cancer is on the rise again in the United States, reversing a years-long decline. A new report from the American Cancer Society reveals that incidence rates have climbed by 3% annually from 2014 to 2021, after previously dropping by more than 6% each year between 2007 and 2014. The increase is especially pronounced in distant-stage disease, which is harder to treat and more deadly.Men under 55 saw a 2.6% annual rise in distant-stage diagnoses, while those aged 55 to 69 experienced a 6% increase. For men 70 and older, the rate jumped by 6.2% per year. These trends suggest…
Black children in the U.S. face significant delays in ADHD diagnosis and treatment due to systemic inequities in healthcare, according to psychiatrist Dr. Napoleon B. Higgins, Jr. Writing for ADDitude, Higgins outlines how clinician bias, medical mistrust, and cultural stigma contribute to these disparities.“Clinician bias can skew evaluation and treatment outcomes,” Higgins explains, noting that Black youth are often misdiagnosed with disruptive behavior disorders instead of ADHD. This mislabeling leads to years of inadequate treatment when simple medication adjustments could help.Negative attitudes toward mental health in Black communities also play a role. Higgins recalls a mother telling him, “You think…
Daily life is changed dramatically for people with vitiligo, especially those with darker skin tones, according to recent findings from the VALIANT study. The condition exacts a much greater toll on emotional and mental health, with patients of color describing higher rates of anxiety, depression, and reduced quality of life compared to those with fairer skin. Researchers who surveyed over 3,500 people from 17 countries found that “patients with types V and VI on the Fitzpatrick skin type scale expressed considerably higher rates of burden compared with all other Fitzpatrick skin tones.”The reason may be that depigmented areas stand out…
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects children of all races at similar rates, but Black children are far less likely to be diagnosed or treated. This disparity isn’t due to biology—it’s rooted in bias, stereotyping, and a long history of discrimination in healthcare.Most ADHD research has focused on white boys, leaving gaps in understanding how the condition presents in other groups. Clinicians often rely on tools and norms that don’t reflect the experiences of Black children. Even standardized assessments can be skewed. Studies show that the same behavior is rated differently depending on the race of the child and the observer.Black parents…
Endometrial cancer is now the most common gynecologic malignancy in the United States, and it is the only one with rising incidence and mortality. Yet the burden of death falls disproportionately on Black women, revealing stark racial health disparities that persist across diagnosis, treatment, and survival.Nearly 70,000 cases of endometrial cancer are expected in 2025, with about 14,000 deaths nationwide. Although Black and White women develop the disease at similar rates, Black women are twice as likely to die from it. Five-year survival illustrates the divide: 63% for Black women compared with 84% for White women. Bhavana Pothuri, MD, MS,…
A new analysis of more than 42,000 patients reveals striking racial and ethnic disparities in the age of first hospitalization for heart failure. Black patients were admitted nearly 14 years earlier than White patients, averaging just over 60 years old compared to 73.6 for Whites. Hispanic patients followed closely at 65.4 years, while Asian patients averaged 70.6 years.Researchers linked these differences to social determinants of health—factors like economic stability, insurance coverage, and neighborhood conditions. “Clinical risk factors likely also reflect upstream social determinants such as unequal access to preventive care, chronic stress, and structural barriers to health for minoritized groups,”…