In 2023, only 48% of Latino adults who needed mental health services received treatment. The consequences have been devastating. Between 2010 and 2020, suicide rates among Latino men rose nearly 36%, and among Latinas, by over 40%.“No one should suffer in silence,” Senators Alex Padilla said. “We need to break down the barriers that keep Latinos from getting the mental health care they need.” Ruben Gallego added, “This issue is personal to me. Too many Latinos, especially men, shy away from seeking help because they’re afraid of being judged.”Latino communities across the U.S. face persistent barriers to mental health care,…
Author: Disparity Matters
A new report from the American College of Cardiology details how Hispanic and Latino communities across the U.S. face outsized risks of both diabetes and cardiovascular disease—two conditions that feed each other and drive serious, often preventable health complications. The reporte describes a “disproportionately high burden” of these diseases, with higher rates of obesity, smoking, and sedentary behavior contributing to early metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, and insulin resistance. These intertwined risks lead to more heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral artery disease. Clinicians note that many Hispanic and Latino patients face a stronger genetic predisposition to diabetes, along with a higher likelihood…
Medical mistrust continues to keep Black Americans out of clinical trials, with serious consequences for health outcomes. A recent study led by Dr. Shakira J. Grant explored how historical trauma and personal experiences shape attitudes toward medical research among Black patients with multiple myeloma. Through interviews with patients and caregivers, the study revealed that Black participants often carry a “deep, transgenerational knowledge” of medical mistreatment, including the infamous Tuskegee syphilis experiment.This legacy of unethical research, combined with ongoing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, fosters a persistent mistrust. “These personal stories highlighted a pervasive mistrust that impacted their willingness to…
After years of progress, mortality from heart attacks among older adults with kidney failure is climbing again—and hitting minority communities hardest. A new national analysis found that while deaths declined from 1999 to 2015, they have risen since, with non-Hispanic Black Americans facing the highest rates.Between 1999 and 2023, more than 288,000 Americans aged 65 and older died from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with renal failure. Non-Hispanic Black adults had an age-adjusted mortality rate of 35.8 per 100,000, compared to 26.4 for non-Hispanic Whites. Asian/Pacific Islander adults saw an 85% annual increase in mortality after 2020—the steepest rebound of any…
Despite a decade of progress in stroke care, Black patients continue to receive fewer life-saving treatments than White patients—even when treated at the same certified hospitals. A new study of over 2.1 million Medicare stroke admissions reveals that stroke center certification significantly boosted treatment rates for White patients, but not for Black patients. When hospitals became certified as primary stroke centers, White patients saw a 31% increase in thrombolytic therapy. That number jumped to nearly 68% at more advanced centers. Black patients, however, saw no statistically significant change in access to thrombolytics, even at the same facilities. Mechanical thrombectomy rates…
New federal data show a decline in teen suicide rates, with serious suicidal thoughts among 12- to 17-year-olds falling from nearly 13% in 2021 to 10% in 2024. Suicide attempts also dropped slightly, from 3.6% to 2.7%. Experts say this is a hopeful sign, possibly linked to more teens opening up about their struggles and accessing treatment tailored to suicide prevention.But, “this report does not break out prevalence or treatment rates by race or ethnicity,” said Hannah Wesolowski of the National Alliance for Mental Illness. That omission is raising concern among mental health advocates because without that data, she warned,…
Black Americans continue to face stark disparities across the entire colorectal cancer care continuum—from screening and diagnosis to treatment and survival. Despite overall declines in colorectal cancer incidence and mortality, Black patients remain disproportionately affected, with higher rates of late-stage diagnosis and lower survival outcomes.The gap begins with screening. Black adults are less likely to receive timely colonoscopies, and even when screened, they are more likely to experience delays in follow-up care. These delays contribute to more advanced disease at diagnosis, which in turn worsens prognosis.Treatment disparities are equally troubling. Black patients are less likely to receive guideline-concordant care, including…
Deaths from heart failure linked to atrial fibrillation have surged nationwide, but the burden has not been shared equally. A sweeping study of U.S. mortality data from 1999 to 2024 reveals that Black and Latino populations face alarming disadvantages.While non-Hispanic White individuals recorded the highest overall death rates, the steepest increases in recent years occurred among Black and Latino groups. By middle age, Black adults experienced a far greater risk of dying from heart failure than White adults of the same age. One analysis in the report found younger and middle-aged Black adults had mortality rates nearly three times higher…
Artificial intelligence may promise convenience, but its environmental cost is falling hardest on Black neighborhoods. In a powerful reflection, Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III reveals how AI infrastructure is deepening environmental racism in places like Boxtown, a historic Black community in South Memphis. Just three miles from Boxtown, Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer facility is releasing smog and harmful chemicals through gas turbines. “Residents are saying that they can barely breathe,” Brown writes. The facility joins more than 17 industrial sites in the area, compounding pollution and health risks. Boxtown residents face increased rates of asthma, heart disease, and a cancer…
Drowning is the leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 4. This danger is magnified for Black families, as the fatal drowning rate for African American children is three times higher than for white children. The disparities in water safety are a result of systemic issues, historical racism, and inherited fear. Historically, Black Americans were kept out of public pools through violence and segregation during the 1920s through the 1940s. When the Civil Rights Movement pressured for integration, some municipalities chose to close pools rather than open them to everyone, making swimming lessons and access a privilege for…