A recent study from the federal VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, co-authored with colleagues from Penn LDI, reveals racial and ethnic disparities in Veterans’ experiences with VA-funded community care. This type of care, funded by the Veterans Health Administration (VA) but delivered outside of the VA health system by non-VA providers, has seen its spending more than double from approximately $8 billion in 2014 to over $18 billion in 2021. The study used national VA survey data from over 230,000 Veterans who used VA-funded community care from 2016 to 2021. The survey assessed Veterans’ experiences with care…
Author: Disparity Matters
A new report on men’s health in North Carolina reveals significant racial disparities, with Black and Native American men facing higher risks for several diseases. The inaugural “North Carolina Men’s Health Report Card,” released by the UNC Men’s Health Program and Carolina Demography, provides a comprehensive overview of health issues affecting men statewide. The report highlights that Black men are 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 2.3 times more likely to die from it compared to white men. Native American men face similar disparities. “This report gives us a sense of the scope of health issues affecting…
A recent study published in MedPage Today highlights significant racial and ethnic disparities in the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States. The research found that only one in four adults needing OUD treatment received medications, with Black and Latino adults being less likely to receive any treatment compared to their white counterparts. This disparity is alarming given the rising rates of opioid overdose deaths, which have disproportionately affected minority communities. The study analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, revealing that Black adults had 20% lower odds of receiving medication for OUD, while Latino…
Twenty percent of Hispanic Kansans lack health insurance, more than three times the rate of white residents, according to a new report from the nonpartisan Kansas Health Institute (KHI). The annual review of health insurance coverage in Kansas found that 20.1% of Hispanics were uninsured in 2022, compared to 12.7% of Black residents and 6.2% of white residents. While uninsured rates have declined overall since the introduction of the Affordable Care Act in 2014, significant racial disparities persist. “Hispanics are more likely to be uninsured,” said Kaci Cink (above), a KHI analyst. “The disparities are a little bit smaller than…
A recent study by Dr. Sylvia Peña (above), assistant professor of nursing at Marquette University, sheds light on a critical health disparity affecting Hispanic women: the low screening rates for cervical cancer. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Hispanic women are 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 30 percent more likely to die from it than non-Hispanic white women. Dr. Peña’s research focused on understanding why Hispanic women are less likely to undergo cervical cancer screening, despite the availability of effective screening tests. Her study involved surveying 150 Hispanic women in…
Black Americans face significantly higher rates of lupus and worse outcomes compared to other racial groups, according to data from the Lupus Foundation of America. The chronic autoimmune disease affects 34-51% of African Americans, compared to just 13-23% of white patients. Health experts point to a range of factors contributing to this disparity, including genetics, socioeconomic issues, and inequities in healthcare access and quality. Black and Hispanic women with lupus tend to develop the disease at younger ages and experience more severe symptoms. “I wasn’t diagnosed with lupus until I was 29, literally months from my 30th birthday,” said Jawanna Perine, who…
A new study suggests that cancer patients who seek information about insurance coverage and costs may face delays in receiving medical care. Published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, the research reveals that patients engaging in administrative tasks related to their healthcare were 18 percent more likely to experience delays or miss appointments and treatments. The study, led by Dr. Meredith Doherty from the University of Pennsylvania, analyzed data from a CancerCare survey of 510 cancer patients and survivors. Participants who sought information about out-of-pocket costs, insurance coverage, or appealed benefit denials were more likely to postpone or skip doctor’s appointments,…
A new report finds that racial and ethnic inequities in healthcare continue to plague every U.S. state, despite increased awareness and legislation aimed at improving health outcomes for minorities over the past two decades. The 300-page document from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine details how structural racism and environmental factors contribute to worse health outcomes for people of color, including higher rates of maternal and infant mortality, lower life expectancy, and increased chronic disease. “Inequities are baked into our healthcare system, and if we address them, everyone benefits,” said Georges Benjamin, MD, executive director of the American…
Significant racial disparities in the clinical presentation of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) symptoms and disease severity was found in a recent study published in JAMA Neurology. The study, which analyzed data from 2,478 individuals diagnosed with behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD) or primary progressive aphasia (PPA), found that Black/African American individuals had higher severity scores than White and Asian individuals. Black/African American individuals also showed a higher frequency of delusions, agitation, and depression, and greater severity for these symptoms1. In contrast, White individuals were more likely to exhibit apathy than Black/African Americans1. Asian individuals more frequently experienced apathy, nighttime disturbances, and eating-related…
In a recent analysis, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that while overall estimated new HIV infection rates declined by 23% from 2012 to 2022, the rate has not fallen as much for Latinos compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Latinos, constituting about 19% of the U.S. population, accounted for approximately 33% of new HIV infections in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among gay and bisexual men, Latinos made up the largest share of new HIV diagnoses and infections in 2022. Despite this, they are experiencing a disproportionate number of new infections and…