A new analysis of maternal deaths in the United States finds that nearly one-third occur more than six weeks after childbirth, in a period when many families assume the danger has passed and routine medical follow-up has largely ended. Researchers report that pregnancy-related mortality rose almost 28 percent from 2018 to 2022, with deaths surging during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic before easing slightly but remaining elevated.The study, published in JAMA Network Open, underscores how a long shadow of risk stretches through the first year after delivery, as cardiovascular disease, cancer, mental and behavioral disorders, and drug- and alcohol-induced…
Author: Disparity Matters
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open reveals a troubling increase in maternal mortality rates in the United States, with significant disparities among racial and ethnic groups. The research, led by Dr. Rose Molina from Harvard Medical School, analyzed data from 2018 to 2022 and found that maternal deaths rose from 25.3 to 32.6 per 100,000 live births, marking a 27% increase. This surge comes at a time when funding for maternal health research is being drastically cut, exacerbating the crisis. The study highlights that American Indian and Alaska Native women face the highest maternal mortality rates, at 106.3…
A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology highlights the significant impact of health-related social needs (HRSNs) on cancer care. The research, led by Dr. Angelica Gordon from the University of California, Irvine, reveals that patients with unmet social needs are more likely to miss critical imaging appointments, which can delay diagnosis and treatment.The study analyzed data from 3,495 cancer patients who completed an oncology wellness form between January 2022 and September 2023. The form assessed various HRSNs, including financial strain, lack of transportation, and housing instability. Of the patients who reported HRSNs, 70% missed…
A recent study published in Inside Precision Medicine reveals significant disparities in the care of pancreatic cancer patients based on race and socioeconomic status. The research, led by Dr. Diamantis Tsilimigras from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, analyzed data from 14,147 patients diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPDAC) between 2005 and 2019. The findings highlight that patients from underserved racial or ethnic groups and those with higher social vulnerability are less likely to receive guideline-concordant care.The study found that patients with a higher Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) were 30% less likely to receive at least one of the…
Lung cancer is still most closely associated with smoking, but a growing number of cases are being diagnosed in people who have never smoked — with Asian women disproportionately affected. At the inaugural Stanford Lung Cancer Summit, researchers emphasized that up to one in five lung cancer patients fall into this “never-smoker” category, underscoring the urgent need for new research and tailored clinical approaches.Bryant Lin, MD, a Taiwanese American physician and co-director of Stanford’s Center for Asian Health Research and Education, shared his own diagnosis of stage IV non-small cell lung cancer to highlight the human toll behind the statistics.…
Black women in the U.S. are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. This alarming disparity persists even among those with higher education and income, revealing deep-rooted inequities in the healthcare system.Dr. Damali Campbell-Oparaji, a Rutgers Health expert, points to a combination of factors fueling this crisis: preeclampsia, high blood pressure, diabetes, limited access to care, economic barriers, and implicit bias. “Some colleagues say, ‘I treat everyone the same,’ but that mindset is part of the problem,” she said. “We need to meet patients where they are.”At Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, efforts to close…
As climate change pushes temperatures higher, new research warns that extreme heat and humidity could soon become lethal—especially for Black Americans living in major U.S. cities. Wet bulb temperatures, which combine heat and humidity, represent a critical threshold for human survival. Once the body can no longer cool itself through sweating, even sitting in the shade with water becomes deadly. Scientists had long believed that this limit was 95°F at 100% humidity. But new findings suggest the danger begins much earlier. At Penn State, researchers tested volunteers in a controlled environment and found that people began to lose the ability…
Significant racial and ethnic differences in uterine fibroid diagnoses have emerged from a large-scale study examining nearly 2 million patients in Northern California’s Kaiser Permanente health system over 13 years. The research reveals that health disparities extend across multiple communities in ways previously underexplored.Black patients showed the most dramatic disparity, with diagnosis rates more than three times higher than non-Hispanic White patients. Among Asian populations, the variations were notable: South Asian patients had 71% higher rates, East Asians 47% higher, and Southeast Asians 29% higher compared to White patients. Hispanic patients demonstrated a 37% increase in diagnoses.The study uncovered an…
A recent study led by the University of California San Diego highlights the persistent disparities in tobacco use among Native American communities in California. The California Native American Tobacco Initiative Evaluation (CAITIE), spearheaded by Dr. Wael Al-Delaimy, focuses on culturally tailored tobacco use prevention initiatives. Native American adults in California have a higher rate of commercial tobacco use—14.8% compared to the state average of 11.4% in 2022.The initiative emphasizes the importance of cultural relevance in its approach. Unlike commercial tobacco products, traditional tobacco holds a sacred place in many Native American ceremonies. This distinction is central to the education campaigns…
A new study reveals that patients from socially and economically disadvantaged communities face significantly worse outcomes after suffering a nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), a life-threatening type of brain bleed. Researchers analyzed data from over 108,000 patients across the U.S. and found that social determinants of health—particularly neighborhood deprivation and income—play a critical role in recovery. Patients living in areas with high Social Deprivation Index (SDI) scores were less likely to be discharged home or to rehabilitation and more likely to experience longer hospital stays. In contrast, those from higher-income areas had better odds of favorable discharge outcomes and lower in-hospital…