A recent study highlights significant health disparities impacting minority communities, particularly Black women, middle-aged adults, and low-income consumers. Researchers from Rutgers and Columbia universities found that these groups are more likely to use personal care products that score high on hazard ratings in the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database. The findings demonstrate that Black women are almost twice as likely as white women to use hair products that contain potentially harmful chemicals linked to health risks.These troubling patterns expose minorities to potentially hazardous chemicals at disproportionate rates. The study emphasizes that many products marketed to Black women contain ingredients…
Author: Disparity Matters
A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology reveals significant disparities in adherence to allopurinol, a common urate-lowering therapy for gout, among different racial groups and regions in the United States. The research indicates that Black patients and those residing in the South are particularly affected by low adherence rates, which can lead to severe health complications. The study analyzed data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, covering the years 2018 to 2021, and found that only 35.2% of patients achieved high adherence to allopurinol. Black patients were about half as likely to adhere to their medication regimen…
Trains students to research and address health disparities, improving outcomes for underserved populations
A recent study from Washington University’s School of Medicine reveals significant disparities in genetic testing for Black pediatric patients with neurological conditions. The study found that only half of Black children completed the necessary genetic tests for diagnosis and treatment, compared to 75% of white children. Dr. Christina Gurnett, who heads the Division of Pediatric and Developmental Neurology at WashU, expressed surprise at the low completion rates across all children but noted the stark racial differences.The study highlights several barriers contributing to these disparities, including higher insurance denial rates for Black patients and other unmeasured issues such as transportation and…
A recent report sheds light on the stark disparities in children’s health across five key states in the United States. The study, focusing on California, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, and Texas, reveals a complex landscape of healthcare challenges disproportionately affecting minority communities.In California, the report highlights a concerning trend in childhood obesity rates. While the state has made progress in reducing overall obesity, significant disparities persist among racial and ethnic groups. Latino and Black children continue to face higher rates of obesity compared to their white counterparts, pointing to underlying socioeconomic factors and access to healthy food options.Georgia’s data paints a…
Primary care practices that employ nurse practitioners (NPs) are increasingly stepping in to address the nation’s growing health disparities, especially in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. A recent study led by researchers at Columbia University School of Nursing highlights that practices with NPs are far more likely to serve areas with higher poverty levels, fewer high school graduates, and rural populations than those without NPs. These communities often face significant barriers to healthcare access, underscoring the critical need for such providers.The study examined 79,743 U.S. primary care practices and found that as of 2023, over half included NPs on staff, marking a…
A recent study reveals that race-specific lung function assessments may be underdiagnosing asthma in Black children, potentially exacerbating existing health disparities. Researchers, led by Dr. Gurjit Khurana Hershey of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, found that the 2012 Global Lung Initiative (GLI) race-specific equation failed to detect reduced lung function in a significant proportion of Black children across three large cohorts.The study, published in JAMA Network Open, compared the performance of the race-specific equation to the 2022 GLI race-neutral equation. Results showed that the race-specific formula missed reduced lung function in 39% of Black children participating in the study. More…
A recent study has uncovered significant racial disparities in genetic testing for children with neurological disorders in the United States. The research, published in the journal Neurology, sheds light on the challenges faced by Black children in accessing crucial genetic investigations, potentially impacting their diagnosis and treatment.The study, conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, analyzed electronic health records of 11,371 children seen at pediatric neurology outpatient clinics over an 18-month period. Despite similar rates of genetic test requests by neurologists, Black children were nearly half as likely as White children to complete at least one genetic…
A recent study published in JAMA Health Forum reveals significant racial and ethnic disparities in out-of-pocket spending for maternity care. The research, led by the University of Maryland School of Public Health and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, found that Black, Hispanic, and Asian individuals with private insurance pay more for maternity care compared to their white counterparts.Dr. Rebecca Gourevitch, the study’s lead author, highlighted that Black individuals face the highest out-of-pocket costs throughout pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum care. The study shows that Black people paid on average 74% more for recommended prenatal care services, while Hispanic and…
Many hospitals are utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance patient care, but a concerning gap remains in bias testing for these technologies. New research indicates that while two-thirds of U.S. hospitals employ AI, just 44% proactively test these systems for bias. Such oversight could have detrimental effects on marginalized communities. Historically, minorities have faced inequities in healthcare access and quality, leading to worse health outcomes. Paige Nong, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, expressed her alarm over the potential harms caused by biased AI systems. Many of these technologies are trained on incomplete or non-representative data, which can…