A recent report from the Steve Fund reveals encouraging mental health trends among students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The study, which surveyed over 1,800 HBCU students, challenges prevailing narratives about mental health disparities in minority communities.Contrary to expectations, HBCU students reported lower rates of anxiety and depression compared to their peers at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Only 27% of HBCU students screened positive for anxiety, and 19% for depression, significantly lower than the national averages of 39% and 33% respectively.These findings highlight the unique supportive environment fostered by HBCUs. Students cited strong connections with faculty and staff,…
Author: Disparity Matters
Black infants are less likely to receive breastmilk at six months compared to white infants—49 percent versus 61 percent. Breastfeeding offers lifelong health benefits, and unequal access to support can deepen health gaps that begin at birth.A recent randomized trial of over 2,000 new mothers found that telelactation—virtual visits with lactation consultants—can help close this gap. Among Black women who had access to telelactation, 65 percent were breastfeeding at six months postpartum, compared to 57 percent in the control group. That’s a meaningful improvement for both mothers and babies.Yet access to lactation support remains uneven. Many new mothers lose contact…
A recent study published in Neurology reveals that individuals living in disadvantaged neighborhoods are at a higher risk of developing dementia compared to those in more affluent areas. The research, led by Dr. Pankaja Desai of Rush University, analyzed data from 6,781 participants with an average age of 72, residing in four Chicago communities. The study found that people in neighborhoods with the highest levels of disadvantage were more than twice as likely to develop dementia as those in the least disadvantaged areas.Dr. Desai emphasized the importance of community-level factors in influencing dementia risk, noting that most studies focus on…
A new national maternity care report has revealed troubling disparities in how Black women receive care during childbirth. The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit organization that tracks hospital safety and quality, released its 2025 analysis finding that one in five hospitals across the United States report significant differences in cesarean section rates between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White patients.This marks the first time such race-based disparities have been included in the organization’s comprehensive maternity care assessment, which draws data from more than 2,400 hospitals representing 80 percent of inpatient beds nationwide. The findings suggest that Black women are more…
A recent study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session reveals that maternal mortality due to cardiovascular disease has more than doubled in the United States between 1999 and 2022. This alarming trend is particularly pronounced among Black women and those living in Southern states. Researchers analyzed data from the CDC’s Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database, finding that the rate increased from 3.6 per million in 1999 to a peak of 10.5 per million in 2021, before slightly declining to 9.1 per million in 2022. Dr. Mohammad Ahabab Hossain, the study’s lead author,…
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open reveals significant disparities in cardiometabolic health among American Indian adults. Researchers utilized polygenic scores (PGS) to assess the risk of various cardiometabolic factors, including diabetes, lipid levels, and inflammation. The study involved 1,157 participants from the Strong Heart Study, a long-term investigation into cardiovascular disease among American Indians. The findings indicate that American Indian adults have higher polygenic risk scores for several cardiometabolic traits compared to other populations. This elevated genetic risk is compounded by socioeconomic factors, such as limited access to healthcare and higher rates of poverty, which exacerbate health disparities.…
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open reveals stark racial disparities in the quality of hospitals where Black and American Indian birthing individuals deliver. The research highlights that these groups are more likely to give birth in lower-quality hospitals compared to their White counterparts, underscoring systemic healthcare inequities.The study analyzed maternal hospital records from California, Oregon, Michigan, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania, encompassing over 6.4 million birthing individuals. It found that Black and American Indian patients often delivered at hospitals with fewer resources and lower levels of obstetric care. This disparity is linked to higher rates of maternal mortality and…
Black children are significantly more likely than their White peers to be restrained during behavioral emergencies in hospitals, according to a new study that raises serious concerns about racial bias in pediatric care.Published in Hospital Pediatrics, the study examined data from a large academic children’s hospital and found that Black patients had higher odds of being physically restrained, even when accounting for age, sex, and diagnosis. Researchers evaluated Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT) alerts over a nearly four-year period and discovered that Black children represented a disproportionate share of these high-stress incidents.While BERT alerts are meant to ensure safety when…
A new nationwide analysis of more than 360,000 adult hospitalizations shows that race remains a powerful predictor of whether a patient with hypertension leaves the hospital alive. Black adults hospitalized for hypertension-related problems had a 55% higher likelihood of dying in the hospital than White patients, even after accounting for age, sex, diabetes, insurance, and hospital location. The authors report that all racial groups except Native Americans faced significantly higher odds of in-hospital death compared with White patients, underscoring deep racial disparities in hypertension outcomes.Researchers describe hypertension as a chronic condition that drives heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and premature…
A recent study reveals a significant disparity in breast cancer screening rates among women Medicaid beneficiaries experiencing housing insecurity. The research, conducted in Pennsylvania, sheds light on the complex relationship between housing status and preventive healthcare utilization.The study examined 73,456 women Medicaid beneficiaries aged 50-64 years, comparing those with a history of housing-related services to those without such encounters. The findings are stark: women who received housing-related services had a mammography rate of 44.8%, compared to 50.1% among those who did not, representing a 5.3 percentage point gap.This disparity was even more pronounced among those experiencing chronic homelessness, with a…