Parkinson’s disease affects people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, yet clinical trials and research continue to exclude many of them. According to 2023 NIH data, only 4% of Parkinson’s trial participants identified as Black, 3% as Asian, and 4% as Hispanic or Latinx—numbers far below their representation in the U.S. population. This lack of inclusion has real consequences for diagnosis, treatment, and access to care.Black Americans are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages, missing chances for early intervention. Latinx patients are less likely to see specialists trained in movement disorders. These disparities are not biological—they stem from…
Author: Disparity Matters
A national analysis of 2011–2016 NHANES data finds wide differences in metabolic syndrome (MetS) across Asian American subpopulations, challenging one-size-fits-all assumptions. MetS—a cluster of conditions that heighten risks for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes—varied significantly by ethnicity and sex even within the same body mass index (BMI) ranges. Among women with BMI below 23, Filipinas had a 31.70% MetS prevalence compared with 14.45% among Chinese women. Among men with BMI 23–27.4, Asian Indian men showed 50.80% prevalence versus 22.66% in Vietnamese men.Gender patterns were notable. Across groups with BMI under 27.5, women generally had higher MetS prevalence than men;…
A recent study reveals that racial disparities in dental care affordability are contributing to serious oral health inequities in the United States. Among non-Hispanic Black adults, 21.03% reported being unable to afford needed dental care—nearly triple the rate of those at higher income levels. Mexican American and other Hispanic adults followed closely at 20.12%, underscoring the disproportionate burden faced by communities of color.These affordability barriers translate into worse health outcomes. Adults who couldn’t afford care were more than three times as likely to have untreated tooth decay and over four times more likely to suffer root caries. They also had…
New research examining social factors that influence health outcomes reveals stark mortality patterns among Americans, with particular implications for communities of color.Analyzing data from over 129,000 adults, researchers identified five distinct patterns of social disadvantages affecting health. Two groups faced especially severe mortality risks: those who were both unmarried and unemployed, and those juggling multiple hardships including housing instability and medical debt.The findings show racial minorities were disproportionately concentrated in the most disadvantaged groups. Nearly 46 percent of people facing multiple concurrent hardships were racial minorities, compared to just 27 percent in the group with few barriers. Similarly, 40 percent…
A new nationwide analysis shows that older adults of color face significantly worse outcomes and higher medical costs after being hospitalized for falls — a common and often devastating injury for Americans over 65. Researchers reviewed more than five million fall-related hospitalizations from 2017 to 2021 and found striking racial disparities in survival, complications, and the financial burden of care.Non-White patients had higher in-hospital mortality than White patients and were more likely to experience complications, including cardiac, respiratory, infectious, and kidney problems. Their average hospital stay was longer, and their typical hospital bill was more than $2,000 higher — even…
A new national study reveals that systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disproportionately affects non-Hispanic Black adults in the United States. Using data from 2017 to 2021, researchers found that Black adults had more than twice the odds of having SLE compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Hispanic adults also showed elevated odds, though the difference was less pronounced.The study examined how social determinants of health (SDOH)—including income, insurance, psychological distress, and neighborhood conditions—correlate with SLE prevalence. Adults with Medicaid had significantly higher odds of SLE than those with private insurance. Those experiencing psychological distress or living in the Northeast also faced increased risk.Importantly,…
A new study reveals that many Americans are walking around with hearts biologically older than their actual age, with Black and Latino adults facing the steepest disparities. Researchers at Northwestern Medicine created an online “heart age” calculator that reframes cardiovascular risk into a more intuitive measure, based on blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, age, and sex.The study, published in JAMA Cardiology, tested more than 14,000 adults with no history of cardiovascular disease. On average, women had a heart age four years older than their chronological age, while men’s hearts were about seven years older. But the gaps widened considerably in…
Latino men in the United States remain disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, with complex social and cultural factors driving higher risk. According to a new clinical trial, Latino men are more than four times as likely to be diagnosed with HIV compared to their White counterparts, and they accounted for nearly one-third of new HIV cases in 2022.Researchers tested HoMBRES de Familia, a culturally tailored program aimed at reducing the intertwined challenges of substance abuse, intimate partner violence, and HIV/AIDS—known as the SAVA syndemic. Conducted among 122 Latino fathers in Miami-Dade County, the study found the intervention significantly improved HIV knowledge…
Patients with limited English proficiency face significantly worse asthma outcomes, according to a study led by Dr. Maria Paula Henao and published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. The research analyzed data from over 28,000 patients aged 12 and older, revealing stark disparities in asthma control and lung function between English-speaking and non-English-speaking individuals.Among the 769 non-English-speaking patients—62% of whom were Hispanic—the most common languages were Spanish and Chinese. These patients were less likely to have documented Asthma Control Test scores and pulmonary function tests. When tested, they showed poorer results. The odds of uncontrolled asthma were more than…
Improving access to digital tools like broadband internet and smartphones could significantly reduce healthcare disparities for African Americans, according to researchers at UC Santa Barbara. Sharon Tettegah and Ebenezer Larnyo of the Center for Black Studies Research say that health technology—such as telehealth and health-related social media—can enhance care quality and access while reducing inequities. Larnyo, lead author of a study published in Frontiers in Public Health, emphasized that “higher socioeconomic status individuals are more likely to have technology access, and when they do have access, they experience fewer healthcare disparities.” The study analyzed data from 815 African Americans and…