Your zip code may be as critical to your heart health as your genetic code. A comprehensive review published in the Journal of the American Heart Association illuminates how social determinants of health—including economic stability, education, and neighborhood environment—fuel persistent racial disparities in cardiovascular outcomes. The authors assert that these inequities are the result of “deeply entrenched policies, practices, and views on racial inequality and social injustice.”The disparities are stark and measurable. Research highlights that Black adults consistently exhibit diminished cardiovascular health compared to White adults. Specific findings reveal that Black patients with high-risk heart failure are less likely to…
Author: Disparity Matters
A recent study from Washington University’s School of Medicine reveals significant disparities in genetic testing for Black pediatric patients with neurological conditions. The study found that only half of Black children completed the necessary genetic tests for diagnosis and treatment, compared to 75% of white children. Dr. Christina Gurnett, who heads the Division of Pediatric and Developmental Neurology at WashU, expressed surprise at the low completion rates across all children but noted the stark racial differences.The study highlights several barriers contributing to these disparities, including higher insurance denial rates for Black patients and other unmeasured issues such as transportation and…
While overall lupus mortality has declined significantly over the past two decades, Black women continue to die from the disease at dramatically higher rates than other groups, according to new research examining death certificates from 1999 to 2020.Black women experienced 17.68 deaths per million from systemic lupus erythematosus, nearly five times the rate of white women at 3.78 deaths per million. This disparity persists even as death rates have dropped across all demographic groups during the study period.Researchers analyzed 27,213 lupus deaths nationwide and found the highest mortality concentrated in southern states, particularly Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina. American Indian…
A recent report sheds light on the stark disparities in children’s health across five key states in the United States. The study, focusing on California, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, and Texas, reveals a complex landscape of healthcare challenges disproportionately affecting minority communities.In California, the report highlights a concerning trend in childhood obesity rates. While the state has made progress in reducing overall obesity, significant disparities persist among racial and ethnic groups. Latino and Black children continue to face higher rates of obesity compared to their white counterparts, pointing to underlying socioeconomic factors and access to healthy food options.Georgia’s data paints a…
Primary care practices that employ nurse practitioners (NPs) are increasingly stepping in to address the nation’s growing health disparities, especially in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. A recent study led by researchers at Columbia University School of Nursing highlights that practices with NPs are far more likely to serve areas with higher poverty levels, fewer high school graduates, and rural populations than those without NPs. These communities often face significant barriers to healthcare access, underscoring the critical need for such providers.The study examined 79,743 U.S. primary care practices and found that as of 2023, over half included NPs on staff, marking a…
A recent study reveals that race-specific lung function assessments may be underdiagnosing asthma in Black children, potentially exacerbating existing health disparities. Researchers, led by Dr. Gurjit Khurana Hershey of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, found that the 2012 Global Lung Initiative (GLI) race-specific equation failed to detect reduced lung function in a significant proportion of Black children across three large cohorts.The study, published in JAMA Network Open, compared the performance of the race-specific equation to the 2022 GLI race-neutral equation. Results showed that the race-specific formula missed reduced lung function in 39% of Black children participating in the study. More…
A recent study has uncovered significant racial disparities in genetic testing for children with neurological disorders in the United States. The research, published in the journal Neurology, sheds light on the challenges faced by Black children in accessing crucial genetic investigations, potentially impacting their diagnosis and treatment.The study, conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, analyzed electronic health records of 11,371 children seen at pediatric neurology outpatient clinics over an 18-month period. Despite similar rates of genetic test requests by neurologists, Black children were nearly half as likely as White children to complete at least one genetic…
A recent study published in JAMA Health Forum reveals significant racial and ethnic disparities in out-of-pocket spending for maternity care. The research, led by the University of Maryland School of Public Health and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, found that Black, Hispanic, and Asian individuals with private insurance pay more for maternity care compared to their white counterparts.Dr. Rebecca Gourevitch, the study’s lead author, highlighted that Black individuals face the highest out-of-pocket costs throughout pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum care. The study shows that Black people paid on average 74% more for recommended prenatal care services, while Hispanic and…
Many hospitals are utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance patient care, but a concerning gap remains in bias testing for these technologies. New research indicates that while two-thirds of U.S. hospitals employ AI, just 44% proactively test these systems for bias. Such oversight could have detrimental effects on marginalized communities. Historically, minorities have faced inequities in healthcare access and quality, leading to worse health outcomes. Paige Nong, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, expressed her alarm over the potential harms caused by biased AI systems. Many of these technologies are trained on incomplete or non-representative data, which can…
A decade-long study shows American Indians in North Dakota are dying decades earlier than their white neighbors, underscoring the depth of health inequities facing Indigenous communities.From 2010 to 2019, the median age at death for American Indian men in the state was 55, compared to 77 for white men. For women, the gap was equally stark: 62 for American Indian women versus 85 for white women. Overall, American Indians died an average of 22.5 years younger than white residents.The leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer, and accidents, which together accounted for more than half of all American Indian…