A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals that Black mothers living in disadvantaged neighborhoods face a significantly higher risk of developing peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), a rare and potentially deadly form of heart failure. The research, led by Curisa Tucker, PhD, RN, from the University of South Carolina, examined over 7.3 million births in California between 1997 and 2019. The findings indicate that living in poor neighborhoods with fewer resources increases the risk of PPCM by 20% to 70%.PPCM, which occurs towards the end of pregnancy and up to five months postpartum, is characterized by…
Author: Disparity Matters
A recent study by the Urban Institute reveals that Black Kansans are dying at higher rates from seven of the nine leading causes of death compared to other Kansans. This alarming trend underscores the persistent health disparities affecting minority communities in the state. The study examined mortality data across four Kansas counties with significant Black populations: Wyandotte, Johnson, Shawnee, and Sedgwick. Researchers found that Black Kansans have higher death rates from heart disease, kidney issues, and diabetes, among other major diseases. Carla Gibson, vice president of programs for the REACH Healthcare Foundation, emphasized the importance of data-driven approaches to address…
Recent observations reveal troubling trends in breast cancer mortality rates among minority groups in the United States. While certain populations may have seen progress, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American women are facing stagnation in mortality rates. The decline in breast cancer deaths has come to a halt, with rates for Asian women ceasing to decline since 2009, for Hispanic women since 2008, and for Native American women since 2005.The situation is particularly alarming for Asian women aged 75 and over, whose mortality rates have witnessed an upward trajectory since 2004, with analyses indicating an annual percentage change of 0.73%.This data…
Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations face dramatically different cardiovascular disease risks that are masked when these diverse communities are lumped together as a single group, according to new research presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific sessions.The PANACHE study analyzed health records from approximately 700,000 adults in California and Hawaii, revealing stark contrasts across ethnic subgroups. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults showed obesity rates of 41 percent, nearly four times higher than the 11 percent seen in Vietnamese adults. High blood pressure ranged from 12 percent in Chinese adults to 30 percent in Filipino adults.Native Hawaiian…
A major new study shows that the nation’s heart disease burden is moving in the wrong direction for most Americans—and the widening divide is closely tied to income, education, and structural inequities that disproportionately affect Black and Brown communities.Researchers analyzed 20 years of national health data and found that the top 20% of high-income, college-educated Americans have dramatically lower rates of cardiovascular disease than the remaining 80% of the population. These disparities have expanded over the past two decades, even as cardiovascular disease remains the country’s leading cause of illness and death.Low-income adults without college degrees faced staggering differences in…
A new study reveals that African American men experience the most significant survival benefits from adopting healthier lifestyles after a prostate cancer diagnosis. Conducted by researchers from institutions including the University of Southern California and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the study found that African American men with higher lifestyle scores had a 54% lower risk of dying from prostate cancer compared to those with lower scores. Prostate cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related death among men in the United States, with African American men facing the highest risk of prostate cancer-specific death. The study underscores the…
At Swedish First Hill in Seattle, a major shift in maternal care is rewriting the narrative for Black mothers. Once facing disproportionately high rates of cesarean sections, Black patients now experience lower C-section rates than white patients at the hospital—a reversal that leaders call historic.Providence Swedish’s JUST Birth and TeamBirth initiatives have driven this change. JUST Birth, launched in 2022, offers culturally connected care through doulas, educators, and navigators who support patients from pregnancy through postpartum. TeamBirth ensures shared decision-making through structured huddles at key moments during labor.“When I looked at the data, I just didn’t believe it,” said Dr.…
A recent study highlights significant health disparities impacting minority communities, particularly Black women, middle-aged adults, and low-income consumers. Researchers from Rutgers and Columbia universities found that these groups are more likely to use personal care products that score high on hazard ratings in the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database. The findings demonstrate that Black women are almost twice as likely as white women to use hair products that contain potentially harmful chemicals linked to health risks.These troubling patterns expose minorities to potentially hazardous chemicals at disproportionate rates. The study emphasizes that many products marketed to Black women contain ingredients…
A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology reveals significant disparities in adherence to allopurinol, a common urate-lowering therapy for gout, among different racial groups and regions in the United States. The research indicates that Black patients and those residing in the South are particularly affected by low adherence rates, which can lead to severe health complications. The study analyzed data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, covering the years 2018 to 2021, and found that only 35.2% of patients achieved high adherence to allopurinol. Black patients were about half as likely to adhere to their medication regimen…
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