A new survey reveals that Black immigrants in the United States experience disproportionate levels of discrimination and unfair treatment across various aspects of life, including healthcare, employment, and social interactions. The 2023 KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants found that Black immigrants, who make up 8% of all immigrants in the US, report higher rates of mistreatment compared to other immigrant groups. Despite most Black immigrants citing improved educational, employment, and financial situations since moving to the US, they face significant challenges. Half of Black immigrants reported difficulties paying for basic necessities in the past year, double the rate of White…
Author: Disparity Matters
A National Institutes of Health study linking frequent use of hair relaxers to increased uterine cancer risk has sparked thousands of lawsuits in the United States, while sales of these products continue to climb in some African countries. The October 2022 study found that women who used hair relaxers more than four times a year had a higher risk of uterine cancer. This research has become a tipping point, building on over a decade of scientific evidence suggesting a correlation between women’s exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in these products and the development of uterine and breast tumors. In response, many…
A new study suggests minority patients with a common type of blood cancer may have unequal access to cutting-edge treatments, highlighting ongoing racial disparities in cancer care. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that patients from minority populations being treated for B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) may not have equal access to CAR T cell therapy, an innovative personalized cancer treatment. The study, published in NEJM Evidence, examined data from two cancer centers between 2018 and 2022. While minority representation among NHL patients mirrored local population demographics at both centers, suggesting equitable access to general cancer care, the research raised concerns about…
Asian Americans have significantly lower rates of osteoporosis screening compared to white Medicare beneficiaries, according to a new study published in Skeletal Radiology. Researchers from NYU Langone Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute found that only 15% of Asian American Medicare beneficiaries underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) screening, compared to 18% of white beneficiaries. The study, which analyzed more than 3 million Medicare fee-for-service claims from 2015 to 2020, revealed disparities in screening rates across various racial and ethnic groups. Other non-white beneficiaries also had lower screening rates, ranging from 11% to 15%.Dr. Connie Chang,…
Black women with a family history of uterine fibroids face a higher risk of developing the condition themselves, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. The research, which focused on Black and African American women in Detroit, found that maternal history of fibroids was associated with both increased incidence and growth of fibroids in daughters. The study, led by researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, utilized ultrasound data to track fibroid development in 1,610 Black and African American women aged 23 to 35 over a five-year period. Women whose mothers had been diagnosed with fibroids…
Young adults with lupus living in disadvantaged neighborhoods are less likely to receive adequate care despite having insurance coverage, a new study finds. Researchers examined 1,036 Medicare-insured individuals aged 18-35 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and found significant disparities in access to rheumatology care and diagnostic testing based on neighborhood disadvantage. The study revealed that only 39% of participants saw a rheumatologist at least twice a year, while just 28% underwent annual serology testing. Those residing in the most disadvantaged areas were 48% less likely to receive serology testing and had 26% lower visit-based retention compared to those in less…
Black, Hispanic, and Asian patients with large B-cell lymphomas are significantly less likely to receive potentially life-saving CAR T-cell therapy compared to White patients, according to a recent study by Dr. Samer Al Hadidi from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.The retrospective analysis, presented at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, found that out of 1,405 patients, only 25 (1.8%) were Black, 45 (3.2%) were Hispanic, and 40 (2.8%) were Asian. Dr. Al Hadidi emphasized the need to address these disparities, stating that efforts should focus on improving access to care, clinical trial enrollment, and patient…
Children and teens from racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected by persistent insomnia symptoms that begin in childhood and continue through young adulthood, a team led by Penn State researchers found. Specifically, Black children were 2.6 times more likely to experience these long-term sleep problems compared to white children. The findings underscore the need to identify insomnia symptoms early and intervene with age-appropriate treatment. Insomnia isn’t like childhood sleep terrors or sleepwalking. It won’t go away with puberty and maturation for many children,” Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, professor at Penn State College of Medicine, said. Childhood-onset insomnia confers a greater…
Native Hawaiians have a higher risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia compared to all, but one other group studied, researchers from University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu found. The study followed a group of almost 92,000 senior citizens with an average age of 59 over nine years. 7% of those studied were Native Hawaiians, 34% Japanese Americans, 28% Whites, 19% Latinos and 12% were Black. Out of the total group, 18 out 100 people developed Alzheimer’s or other dementias. 24% were Black and 14% Native Hawaiian. That’s two times their rate of participation in the study for both. “The disparity for Black…