A new study reveals that depression and loneliness are critical, yet often overlooked, contributors to hypertension in Black women—deepening disparities in cardiovascular health. Researchers at George Washington University reviewed 23 studies spanning 15 years, focusing on Black women in the U.S. diagnosed with high blood pressure.Hypertension affects over half of Black women, compared to 39% of non-Hispanic white women. Yet only a quarter of those affected have their condition under control. The review found that Black women with hypertension face significantly higher risks of depression and report elevated levels of loneliness. These emotional burdens are not just side effects—they may…
Author: Disparity Matters
In San Francisco, Black babies are now nearly three times more likely to be born prematurely than white babies—a disparity that has reached its highest level since the state began tracking the data in 2007. While the city’s overall preterm birth rate is below the state average, the rate for Black infants has surged to 16%, compared to just 6% for white infants. This widening gap is not just statistical—it’s deeply personal. Teaja Watts gave birth to her daughter Kaori at just 25 weeks. “I just didn’t know if she was going to live or not,” she said. Kaori has…
Black men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer are significantly less likely than white men to receive confirmatory testing within the first year—a critical step in ensuring accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. A recent study published in JAMA Network Open found that Black men had a 6.1 percent lower rate of completing these tests, with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.75 compared to white men.Confirmatory testing helps determine whether active surveillance is appropriate or if more aggressive treatment is needed. Without it, patients may miss the opportunity for timely intervention or, conversely, undergo unnecessary procedures. The lack of testing raises concerns…
Puerto Ricans living in the United States die from asthma at higher rates than their counterparts on the island, and education plays a critical role in those disparities. A new study in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice shows that Puerto Ricans with lower educational attainment face particularly steep risks, challenging long-held assumptions about Hispanic health advantages.Researchers found that Puerto Rican individuals in the U.S. with less than a high school degree had an asthma mortality rate of 38.86 per 100,000, compared with 22.37 per 100,000 among Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico. Even with a high school…
In 2023, only 48% of Latino adults who needed mental health services received treatment. The consequences have been devastating. Between 2010 and 2020, suicide rates among Latino men rose nearly 36%, and among Latinas, by over 40%.“No one should suffer in silence,” Senators Alex Padilla said. “We need to break down the barriers that keep Latinos from getting the mental health care they need.” Ruben Gallego added, “This issue is personal to me. Too many Latinos, especially men, shy away from seeking help because they’re afraid of being judged.”Latino communities across the U.S. face persistent barriers to mental health care,…
Medical mistrust continues to keep Black Americans out of clinical trials, with serious consequences for health outcomes. A recent study led by Dr. Shakira J. Grant explored how historical trauma and personal experiences shape attitudes toward medical research among Black patients with multiple myeloma. Through interviews with patients and caregivers, the study revealed that Black participants often carry a “deep, transgenerational knowledge” of medical mistreatment, including the infamous Tuskegee syphilis experiment.This legacy of unethical research, combined with ongoing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, fosters a persistent mistrust. “These personal stories highlighted a pervasive mistrust that impacted their willingness to…
Despite a decade of progress in stroke care, Black patients continue to receive fewer life-saving treatments than White patients—even when treated at the same certified hospitals. A new study of over 2.1 million Medicare stroke admissions reveals that stroke center certification significantly boosted treatment rates for White patients, but not for Black patients. When hospitals became certified as primary stroke centers, White patients saw a 31% increase in thrombolytic therapy. That number jumped to nearly 68% at more advanced centers. Black patients, however, saw no statistically significant change in access to thrombolytics, even at the same facilities. Mechanical thrombectomy rates…
New federal data show a decline in teen suicide rates, with serious suicidal thoughts among 12- to 17-year-olds falling from nearly 13% in 2021 to 10% in 2024. Suicide attempts also dropped slightly, from 3.6% to 2.7%. Experts say this is a hopeful sign, possibly linked to more teens opening up about their struggles and accessing treatment tailored to suicide prevention.But, “this report does not break out prevalence or treatment rates by race or ethnicity,” said Hannah Wesolowski of the National Alliance for Mental Illness. That omission is raising concern among mental health advocates because without that data, she warned,…
Black Americans continue to face stark disparities across the entire colorectal cancer care continuum—from screening and diagnosis to treatment and survival. Despite overall declines in colorectal cancer incidence and mortality, Black patients remain disproportionately affected, with higher rates of late-stage diagnosis and lower survival outcomes.The gap begins with screening. Black adults are less likely to receive timely colonoscopies, and even when screened, they are more likely to experience delays in follow-up care. These delays contribute to more advanced disease at diagnosis, which in turn worsens prognosis.Treatment disparities are equally troubling. Black patients are less likely to receive guideline-concordant care, including…
Deaths from heart failure linked to atrial fibrillation have surged nationwide, but the burden has not been shared equally. A sweeping study of U.S. mortality data from 1999 to 2024 reveals that Black and Latino populations face alarming disadvantages.While non-Hispanic White individuals recorded the highest overall death rates, the steepest increases in recent years occurred among Black and Latino groups. By middle age, Black adults experienced a far greater risk of dying from heart failure than White adults of the same age. One analysis in the report found younger and middle-aged Black adults had mortality rates nearly three times higher…