High levels of neighborhood violence may contribute to lung cancer progression, potentially explaining disparities in outcomes between Black and White men, according to a new study by University of Illinois researchers. The study, published in Cancer Research Communications, found that chronic stress from living in high-violence areas alters cortisol metabolism and glucocorticoid binding within tumors, driving pathways associated with tumor aggressiveness. Researchers examined tissue samples from 15 lung cancer patients in Chicago, finding differences in gene expression and glucocorticoid receptor binding based on patients’ zip codes. Those from high-crime areas showed lower glucocorticoid receptor binding in tumor tissues and activation of genes…
Author: Disparity Matters
Two years after Roe v. Wade was overturned, abortion access remains severely restricted for many Black women, according to reproductive rights advocates. Fourteen states have enacted near-total abortion bans since the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision, with several others imposing strict limits. This has forced millions of women to travel across state lines or seek medication abortions online. Black women are disproportionately impacted by these restrictions, experts say. Dr. Regina Davis Moss of the National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda called reproductive justice “absolutely a racial issue.” “Dismantling systemic racism is at the core of the reproductive justice framework,” Davis Moss said. A new…
A five-minute, culturally neutral cognitive assessment tool, 5-Cog, has been developed by a research team led by Dr. Joe Verghese from Albert Einstein College of Medicine1. This tool is designed to improve dementia detection and management in older adults, particularly those living in disadvantaged areas throughout the U.S. The need for such a tool arises from the fact that signs of cognitive impairment are often missed by healthcare providers in busy primary care settings, especially among older Black and Hispanic Americans. Traditional tests for dementia can be lengthy, expensive, and require trained clinicians to administer. Many of these tests were…
Increasing access to prenatal and postpartum care in Washington DC’s wards with highest infant mortality
Kidney disease is a leading cause of death in the U.S., with Black Americans three times more likely than white Americans to develop kidney failure. Despite constituting only 12% of the U.S. population, Black Americans account for 35% of those with kidney failure. This disparity is partly due to the higher prevalence of diabetes and high blood pressure, the two largest contributors to kidney disease, in the Black community. Nearly 100,000 people in the U.S. are awaiting kidney transplantation. Although Black Americans are more likely to need transplants, they are less likely to receive them. Compounding the issue, kidneys from…
A genetic variation common in people of African ancestry is associated with an increased risk of complications from diabetes, including diabetic retinopathy, according to a report published in Nature Medicine1. The study, the largest ancestry-stratified, genetic estimation of the heritability of diabetic retinopathy conducted to date, included over 46,000 individuals of non-Hispanic African ancestry. The investigators found that the diagnosis of diabetes and treatment needed to prevent diabetes complications may be delayed in people who carry the variant, G6PDdef, because it is associated with reduced levels of HbA1c, a widely used clinical marker of blood glucose levels. Testing for genetic…
A new report from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health reveals that lower-income families in the United States paid 7.4 times more in out-of-pocket dental care expenses compared to high-income families between 2007 and 2021. This stark disparity highlights the growing inequities in access to affordable dental care across income levels. The report, titled “Lower-Income Families Still Spend More on Dental Care,” shows that the gap in dental care expenditures between the poorest and wealthiest families has widened over time. In 2007, the poorest families paid 5.5 times more, indicating a significant increase in the disparity. Additionally, the study found that families living…
The National Cancer Institute is funding a groundbreaking $12.45 million study to investigate cancer causes in Asian Americans, a historically understudied group in cancer research. This initiative marks the first long-term study of its kind, aiming to diagnose cancer causes in this population. Led by researchers from UC San Francisco and UC Irvine, the study seeks to address significant gaps in understanding cancer patterns among Asian Americans. Scarlett Lin Gomez, PhD, MPH, from UCSF’s Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, emphasized the importance of this research, stating, “The fact there’s been so little funded research in the cancer etiology of…
Scientists have discovered a potential mechanism driving aggressive lung cancer tumors in patients living in neighborhoods with high levels of violent crime. The study, published in Cancer Research Communications, sheds light on the persistent disparity in lung cancer incidence between Black and white men in the United States. Researchers from the University of Illinois found that stress responses differ significantly between individuals residing in areas with varying levels of violent crime. They observed distinct patterns of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binding and gene expression in lung cancer tumors and healthy lung tissue, which correlated with patients’ zip codes. The study revealed…
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed a significant disparity in swimming ability among adults in the United States, with potentially life-threatening consequences. According to the study, one in four Latino adults (26%) do not know how to swim, compared to only 6% of white adults. This stark difference highlights a concerning inequality that puts a substantial portion of the population at risk of drowning. The report, titled “Vital Signs: Drowning Death Rates, Self-Reported Swimming Ability, Swimming Lesson Participation, and Recreational Water Exposure — United States, 2019-2023,” also found that 72% of Hispanic adults…