A new Northwestern University study reveals that racial disparities in maternal heart health are rooted in social and economic conditions rather than biological differences. Black and Hispanic mothers face significantly higher risks of preterm birth, preeclampsia, and cardiovascular problems compared to white mothers. But researchers found that equalizing access to education could nearly erase these gaps.“If racial and ethnic groups achieved the same average years of education, the gaps in heart health between the groups could be substantially reduced,” said Dr. Natalie Cameron, first author of the study and a physician at Northwestern Medicine. The analysis showed that improving education…
Author: Disparity Matters
American Indian and Alaska Native populations face the highest pedestrian fatality rates among all racial and ethnic groups in the United States, according to new research analyzing traffic deaths from 2011 to 2019. The data reveals stark disparities, with American Indian or Alaska Native males experiencing fatality odds nearly twice as high as non-AI/AN males.Black or African American communities also bear a disproportionate burden. Black males had annualized death rates of 0.50 per 100,000 population, significantly higher than the overall rate. Black or African American females showed similarly elevated rates at 0.18 per 100,000.The study examined over 51,000 pedestrian deaths…
In a race against time, U.S. health systems are working to ensure their clinical algorithms comply with new federal anti-discrimination regulations. The upcoming May deadline requires federally funded health institutions to vet their decision-making tools for potential bias based on protected traits such as race and sex.The challenge lies in the widespread use of calculators and algorithms that incorporate these characteristics to predict patient outcomes and guide treatment decisions. While some race-based tools have been phased out over the past four years, many others remain in a gray area, leaving health systems grappling with how to balance compliance and clinical…
Investing $210+ million in scientific research on health inequities and expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups in science and medicine
Investing $210+ million in scientific research on health inequities and expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups in science and medicine
Navigating birth and postpartum care can be daunting, especially for Black mothers who face acute health disparities. In New York City and the Lower Hudson Valley, Teresa Lasbrey Peters is one of many doulas changing that reality with hands-on support and advocacy. Working with the Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership and the Citywide Doula Initiative, she helps make doula services accessible to people covered by Medicaid—individuals who, as she stresses, “normally wouldn’t be able to afford our services.” Lasbrey Peters describes her mission as offering comfort measures, resources, and empowerment before, during, and after childbirth. “Our presence during birth actually reduces…
A recent study by researchers at Sutter Health and Stanford has revealed significant disparities in allergic conditions among Asian American children. The comprehensive analysis of nearly 500,000 children’s health records in Northern California uncovered striking differences in allergy rates across various Asian American subgroups.Filipino and Vietnamese children emerged as particularly vulnerable, showing substantially increased odds of developing eczema, food allergies, asthma, and allergic rhinitis compared to non-Hispanic white children. Filipino children, for instance, were almost twice as likely to develop allergic rhinitis and asthma, nearly four times as likely to develop eczema, and almost five times as likely to develop…
Investing $210+ million in scientific research on health inequities and expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups in science and medicine
A recent study reveals significant disparities in hypertension control among different racial and ethnic groups across the United States. The research, conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, examined data from over 1.6 million veterans nationwide, including four US territories. The findings show that hypertension control rates vary widely across geographic sectors and racial groups, ranging from 44.1% to 97.5%. Black veterans, followed by American Indian or Alaska Native veterans, exhibited the lowest mean control rates at 72.5% and 75.4%, respectively. Notably, the study identified clusters of low hypertension control rates for Black veterans in specific regions, including…
Advanced health equity by exposing racism’s role in poorer health outcomes for Black and other marginalized communities.