Two new studies reveal significant health disparities stemming from police violence against Black Americans. Research led by Dr. Atheendar Venkataramani at the University of Pennsylvania indicates that police-involved killings of unarmed Black individuals are associated with sleep disturbances in the Black community. The studies, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, show that Black respondents reported a marked increase in sleep problems following such incidents, with a notable 11.4% rise in very short sleep durations after high-profile cases.The research analyzed over 2 million responses from government surveys between 2013 and 2019, focusing on sleep patterns after the deaths of unarmed Black people…
Author: Disparity Matters
Boston Children’s Hospital has decided to stop using race and ethnicity in its medical rules. They want to make sure that all patients are treated fairly, no matter what their race or ethnicity is. The hospital looked at over 1,500 rules and found that race and ethnicity were mentioned in about 5% of them. But there wasn’t always a good reason for using race or ethnicity in these rules. Dr. Valerie Ward, who makes sure everyone is treated equally at the hospital, led the review. She found that race was often used instead of looking at things like…
In Minnesota, children of color with autism and mental health issues are increasingly experiencing ‘boarding’ in emergency rooms, a situation where they are held in hospitals due to the lack of appropriate care facilities. This issue highlights significant disparities in the healthcare system, affecting vulnerable populations disproportionately. The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a policy statement recommending a comprehensive 40-step action plan to address this crisis.The plan calls for collaboration among hospitals, emergency responders, schools, and crisis-response teams to develop alternative care solutions for these children. Additionally, the Minnesota coalition of hospitals is advocating for reforms in the negotiation…
In a significant move to tackle racial health disparities, new guidelines recommend that Black men begin prostate cancer screenings at age 40. The Prostate Cancer Foundation’s guidelines, unveiled at the 2024 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, address the stark reality that Black men are up to 110% more likely to develop prostate cancer and twice as likely to die from the disease compared to white men.Isla Garraway, MD, PhD, of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, presented the guidelines, emphasizing the importance of early detection in reducing prostate cancer morbidity and mortality…
Black adults across the United States suffer from sleep problems following exposure to news about unarmed Black individuals killed by police, according to new findings from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found statistically significant decreases in sleep duration among Black adults after exposure to such deaths. This issue may compound the risk factors that poor sleep already poses for many chronic and mental health conditions, from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder.Researchers conducted two separate analyses examining changes in sleep duration in the U.S. non-Hispanic Black population before and after exposure…
Decades of escalating health insurance expenses have significantly eroded the earnings of American workers, with a pronounced impact on lower-paid employees and people of color, a new study reveals. The research, published in JAMA Network Open, highlights the hidden costs of healthcare that contribute to stagnant wage growth, a disproportionate insurance premium burden, and widening income inequality. Ezekiel Emanuel, a study author and vice provost for global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, emphasizes that these financial pressures have not only stripped Americans of substantial income but have also intensified racial disparities. The Healthcare Transformation Institute at the University of…
A recent review highlights the significant impact of socioeconomic factors on pediatric oral health, revealing that children from lower-income families are more susceptible to dental caries, also known as tooth decay. The study, published in Cureus, underscores the disparities in oral health among children in different socioeconomic groups and the importance of public health insurance in mitigating these disparities. Children from the lowest household income bracket are over 50% more likely to experience tooth decay compared to their wealthier counterparts. Public insurance coverage is associated with the highest prevalence of dental caries, and children without insurance are nearly twice as…
A study published in Frontiers in Public Health reveals significant disparities in COVID-19 recovery among different racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Researchers found that, although symptoms of the virus appeared at similar rates across groups, Hispanic participants experienced poorer health outcomes and reduced activity levels three to six months after infection compared to their non-Hispanic counterparts. Additionally, participants from racial minority groups reported more adverse impacts on their health status, activity levels, and work attendance than the White population.The study, conducted by a team of U.S. researchers, aimed to shed light on the ethnic and racial disparities…
A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel has recommended increased diversity in pulse oximeter trials, following revelations of racial and ethnic disparities in the device’s readings. The panel’s recommendation comes in the wake of a 2022 study that found Asian, Black, and Hispanic patients in intensive care received less supplemental oxygen than their White counterparts, a discrepancy linked to differences in pulse oximeter readings. The study challenged the prevailing assumption that health disparities were primarily due to social determinants such as environmental racism, lack of access to care, and lower employment status. While these factors undeniably impact health outcomes in…
Black patients are at a disadvantage with current Alzheimer’s blood tests, which were found to be less accurate for them compared to white patients, according to a study led by Dr. Darshali Vyas of Massachusetts General Hospital. The study, published in the journal Neurology, indicates that three out of four experimental blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease showed different performances in Black versus white individuals. This discrepancy raises concerns about the reliability of these tests for Black patients, who already face a 40-percent higher rate of Alzheimer’s after age 65 compared to White seniors. The research underscores the broader issue of…