Black and Hispanic women with postmenopausal bleeding may face serious delays in diagnosis when they develop endometrial cancer, according to a multi-institutional study led by gynecologic oncology fellow Angela Nolin, MD, at Duke University Health System. The research examined whether a widely used diagnostic strategy—transvaginal ultrasound followed by biopsy only when the uterine lining appears thick or cannot be seen clearly—works equally well across racial and ethnic groups.Investigators reviewed the records of 6,466 patients treated between 2013 and 2022 at Duke, Mount Sinai, and Columbia, all of whom underwent transvaginal ultrasound for postmenopausal bleeding. Patients were racially diverse: 40.7% were…
Author: Disparity Matters
A recent study reveals troubling racial disparities in how pediatric emergency departments label children with behavioral health flags. Despite similar responses on aggression risk evaluation tools, non-Hispanic Black youths were significantly more likely than their White peers to be flagged as high aggression risk.The study, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed over 5,100 mental health-related visits to a pediatric emergency department between 2020 and 2022. While the use of the aggression risk evaluation tool did not differ by race or ethnicity, the outcomes did. Black youths had nearly double the odds of being labeled high risk compared to White youths.…
Federal funding cuts are putting critical breast cancer research at risk—especially studies focused on Black women, who are already 38% more likely to die from the disease than white women. Despite this long-documented disparity, recent policy changes have halted dozens of research grants, including two projects specifically designed to explore breast cancer in Black women.One of those studies, led by Columbia University epidemiologist Adana Llanos Wilson, was investigating how chronic stress contributes to breast cancer risk in Black women. Her project lost $806,000 in federal support. “Halting these studies doesn’t just slow down science, it stalls progress toward justice,” Wilson…
A Black man in his fifties visited urgent care and family doctors repeatedly over a year, complaining about a lesion on his foot. Each time, physicians dismissed it as a fungal infection. By the time he reached an emergency room with a bleeding wound, his melanoma had already spread throughout his body.This case illustrates a deadly pattern in American medicine. While melanoma occurs less frequently in people of color, they face dramatically higher death rates. Black patients have a 70 percent five-year survival rate compared to 92 percent for non-Hispanic white patients. They’re also more likely to undergo amputation after…
A recent study published in Cancer reveals that historic redlining, a form of structural racism, continues to impact survival rates among young cancer patients. The research analyzed cancer diagnoses in individuals under 40 living in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, between 2000 and 2019. The study found that young people residing in previously redlined neighborhoods face a significantly higher risk of dying from cancer compared to those in non-redlined areas. The data showed that the five-year survival rate for young cancer patients in redlined neighborhoods was 85.1%, compared to 90.3% for those in other areas. This disparity persisted at the ten-year…
Janel Dillard spent decades wondering what was wrong before finally being diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). As she dove into research, she noticed a glaring absence: “I don’t often see people who look like me.” Dillard, who is African American, reflects a troubling reality—ADHD in the U.S. is often seen as a “white” condition, both in diagnosis and treatment.Studies show African American and Latino children are significantly less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, despite showing symptoms at similar rates. Paul Morgan, Ph.D., warns, “We don’t want a situation where ADHD is a condition for wealthy white families.” His research…
A new study reveals that Florida’s mosquito control system may be reinforcing public health disparities, with wealthier areas receiving better protection against mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, West Nile, and Zika.
The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued a scientific statement highlighting the critical role of sleep health in cardiometabolic health. This statement underscores the multidimensional aspects of sleep, including regularity, satisfaction, alertness, timing, efficiency, duration, disturbed sleep, and sleep architecture. The AHA emphasizes that sleep health is not merely about the number of hours slept but involves a complex interplay of various factors that contribute to overall well-being.Health disparities significantly affect sleep health, particularly among historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. These communities are more likely to experience short sleep duration, poor sleep continuity, less satisfaction with sleep, irregular sleep…
Recent shifts in government policy are creating uncertainty in the hospice sector, particularly concerning health equity. Hospice executives warn that the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives could exacerbate health disparities among underserved patient populations. Victor Couzens, CEO of Mahogany Home Health and Hospice, expressed concerns at the Hospice News ELEVATE conference in Florida, noting that these changes might increase mistrust in the healthcare system and alienate those who need hospice care the most.The establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has focused on eliminating federal DEI programs and reducing government spending. This move, coupled with executive…
A recent study published in Social Science & Medicine highlights the ongoing racial and ethnic disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality in the United States. Despite advancements in CRC care, Black and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) patients continue to face the highest risks of death from this disease. The research, led by Qi and colleagues, utilized data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry, analyzing trends from 1992 to 2021.The study found that while the overall 5-year cumulative incidence of CRC and all-cause mortality among Black patients has declined, these patients still consistently face higher mortality rates compared to…