New Census Bureau data reveals that hurricanes are the leading cause of displacement due to natural disasters in the United States, with Black and Latino communities disproportionately affected. In 2023, 2.5 million people were forced to leave their homes, primarily due to hurricanes in the Southeast. The data, collected through the Household Pulse Survey, provides valuable insight into disaster-related displacement patterns. According to the survey, Black residents in the Southeast are nearly twice as likely to experience hurricanes compared to non-Black residents in the same region. Factors such as lower average income and higher rates of renting among Black populations contribute…
Author: Disparity Matters
Combining physical activities with community building and education within Black community
Research has revealed that racial and ethnic minorities in the United States face significant disparities in dementia care, impacting their health outcomes profoundly. Individuals from marginalized communities often receive delayed diagnoses and inadequate treatment compared to their white counterparts. For instance, it takes 11% longer for Black Americans and 40% longer for Hispanic Americans to receive a diagnosis. These disparities extend beyond diagnosis. Minoritized populations are less likely to be prescribed essential medications for dementia, with Black and Hispanic older adults facing higher rates of medication discontinuation. Additionally, they often end up receiving more aggressive, life-sustaining treatments during end-of-life care, limiting…
Severe complications among pregnant veterans have nearly doubled over the past decade, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report reveals. The increase is particularly alarming for Black women veterans, who face significantly higher complication rates. The report underscores the urgent need for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enhance its data collection and analysis on severe complications, mental health, and the racial and ethnic backgrounds of affected veterans. This comprehensive approach aims to pinpoint the root causes of the escalating complication rates and the stark racial disparities observed. The VA is prioritizing the reduction of racial and ethnic disparities in…
A new survey reveals that nearly half of healthcare providers have observed discrimination against patients in their facilities, highlighting a pervasive issue of racism in the medical industry. The study, conducted by the Commonwealth Fund in partnership with the African American Research Collaborative, found that 47% of healthcare workers have witnessed patient discrimination firsthand. The survey results paint a troubling picture of health disparities, with 52% of respondents describing racism and discrimination against patients as either a major problem or a crisis in healthcare. Black and Latino patients were reported to face the highest levels of discrimination, at 70% and 61%…
California’s environmental justice screening tool, designed to identify communities burdened by pollution, has come under scrutiny for not explicitly considering race or ethnicity in its methodology. Critics argue that this omission overlooks the significant role race plays in environmental disparities. Despite this, the tool has been found to align closely with racial demographics, inadvertently prioritizing communities of color which often face greater pollution burdens.Alvaro Sanchez, Vice President of Policy at the Greenlining Institute, acknowledges the tool’s limitations but notes that with the right methodology, it can still effectively identify the most impacted communities. The Equity Research Institute’s Director, Manuel Pastor,…
Memoir Explores Racism’s Impact on Health Disparities
Black children and adolescents in the United States are six times more likely to die from gun violence than their white peers, according to a recent analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). The study reveals a stark racial disparity in firearm-related deaths among youth, with the gap widening since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report found that in 2022, the firearm death rate for Black youth was 12.2 per 100,000, significantly higher than any other racial or ethnic group. From 2018 to 2022, the rate of firearm deaths doubled among Black youth and increased by 73% among…
Women living in historically redlined areas face significantly higher risks of negative breast cancer outcomes, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. The research provides evidence that discriminatory housing policies from decades ago continue to impact health disparities today. Researchers examined data from over 1,700 Black and white women diagnosed with breast cancer in Georgia between 2010-2017. They found that women in historically redlined neighborhoods had 60% higher breast cancer mortality overall compared to those in non-redlined areas. For Black women specifically, living in redlined areas was associated with 62% higher odds of estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer, an aggressive…
A new study finds stark racial disparities in access to a key medication for treating opioid addiction, with predominantly white areas having far greater availability compared to more diverse communities. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh examined geographic access to buprenorphine, a life-saving medication for opioid use disorder, across the United States in 2018. They found that areas with more racial and ethnic diversity had significantly fewer buprenorphine prescribers and prescription fills. In urban areas that were less than 95% white, there was a 45-55% drop in buprenorphine prescribers compared to predominantly white areas. The disparity was even greater in…