Asian Americans are 60% less likely to access mental health services compared to other groups, despite 16.8% experiencing mental illness, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health. In an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care, Ali Khawar, principal deputy assistant secretary with the Employee Benefits Security Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor, highlighted the need to address barriers preventing the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community from receiving mental health treatment. Khawar pointed to stigma within the AAPI community as a significant factor discouraging individuals…
Author: Disparity Matters
People displaced by disasters like tornadoes and wildfires in the U.S. face significant challenges in recovery, with racial and ethnic minorities often disproportionately affected according to a new study. The research, led by Shiloh Deitz at the University of Colorado Denver, analyzed survey data from over 1,200 displaced individuals. The findings show that while disasters can uproot anyone, socioeconomic factors and systemic inequities put some groups at higher risk of displacement and hamper their ability to recover. Black, Hispanic and Native American residents were overrepresented among the disaster-displaced compared to the general population. Many of the displaced struggled to secure…
Black workers are much more likely than their white counterparts to continue working despite being sick, due to lack of paid sick leave and fear of job loss, according to research conducted by the Economic Policy Institute. According to the study, 55% of Black workers in low-wage positions reported working while ill, compared to just 39% of white workers in similar roles. This disparity is largely attributed to the fact that Black workers are overrepresented in industries such as food service, retail, and healthcare, where paid sick leave is often not provided. Elise Gould, a senior economist at the Economic…
A mental health crisis is severely impacting Black men and boys in the United States, leading to rising suicide rates and inadequate care, according to experts at a recent Harvard University symposium. The Hutchins Center for African & African American Research convened the daylong event on May 13 to address the complex factors contributing to the crisis and explore potential solutions. Speakers highlighted that Black men are four times more likely to die by suicide than Black women, and suicide rates among Black boys have risen 60 percent over the past two decades. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu emphasized that stigma and…
A new dataset released by the University of Richmond’s Digital Scholarship Lab is enabling researchers to precisely track the long-term effects of redlining, the discriminatory lending practice that denied loans and investments in predominantly Black neighborhoods. The dataset, called “Mapping Inequality,” combines historical redlining maps with modern census data, allowing for detailed analysis of how the practice has shaped racial disparities and segregation patterns that persist today. Redlining, which began in the 1930s, graded neighborhoods based on perceived lending risk, with areas deemed “hazardous” – often those with high concentrations of Black residents – colored in red. Banks used these…
Lupus disproportionately affects women from racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States, leading to more severe symptoms and higher mortality rates, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC’s National Lupus Registry estimates that over 200,000 Americans have systemic lupus erythematosus, the most common form of the chronic autoimmune disease. While anyone can develop lupus, approximately 90% of those affected are women. Black or African American and Hispanic women are often diagnosed with lupus at a younger age compared to non-Hispanic White women. They also experience more severe symptoms and have…
A new study by The Nature Conservancy found that increasing green space in Brooklyn could significantly improve health outcomes and reduce disparities, especially for Black and Hispanic residents. The report, titled “The Greenpoint-Williamsburg TNC Study”, was a collaboration between The Nature Conservancy, the Gowanus Canal Conservancy and local community organizations. The study focused on Greenpoint and Williamsburg, two rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods that still have significant low-income and minority populations. Researchers found that these communities have lower tree canopy coverage and access to parks compared to the borough average. Planting more street trees, creating new parks and improving existing green spaces…
A new study from UCLA has found significant racial and ethnic disparities in children’s mental health treatment across the United States. The research, published Monday in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, reveals that Black and Hispanic youth are substantially less likely to receive mental health services compared to their white counterparts. Led by Dr. Susan Ettner, a professor of health policy and management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, the study analyzed data from over 50,000 children aged 5-17. It found that even when controlling for socioeconomic factors and health insurance status,…
A recent study by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) reveals a disturbing trend in workplace safety for Latino workers in the United States. According to the report, Latinos are 24% more likely to die in workplace accidents compared to the rest of the population, highlighting a significant racial disparity in occupational hazards. The study, titled “Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect, 2024,” found that 1,248 Hispanics died on the job in 2022. Alarmingly, 60% of these fatalities were immigrants. The construction industry, where Latinos make up about two-thirds of the workforce, accounts for…
The potential of doulas to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce racial disparities in Arkansas is highlighted in a new report from the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI). The state ranks 44th in the nation for maternal mortality, with Black women dying at twice the rate of white women during childbirth. The report, titled “Doulas in Arkansas: Improving Birth Outcomes and Experiences,” notes that doulas provide physical, emotional, and informational support to mothers before, during, and after childbirth. Research shows their involvement can lead to fewer cesarean sections, reduced use of pain medication, and higher rates of breastfeeding. However,…