A new study from Stanford University reveals that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution has led to disproportionately high death rates among Black Americans. Published in Nature Medicine, the research found that Black individuals face a “double jeopardy” of higher exposure to PM2.5 and greater susceptibility to its adverse health effects due to factors such as poverty, existing medical conditions, hazardous jobs, and lack of access to housing and healthcare. The study, led by Assistant Professor Pascal Geldsetzer, analyzed data from 1990 to 2016 and found that Black Americans had the highest PM2.5-attributable mortality in 96.6 percent of U.S. counties. PM2.5,…
Author: Disparity Matters
Black Americans experiencing stroke symptoms face significant delays in receiving emergency care, according to a study led by researchers from the University of Michigan and Brown University. Published in Circulation, the study found that Black stroke patients take approximately 28 minutes longer to reach emergency departments compared to their white counterparts. This delay is partly due to emergency medical services (EMS) being 20% less likely to notify hospitals in advance of a Black patient’s arrival. Dr. Regina Royan, the study’s first author and clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, emphasized the urgency of…
A new study highlights significant health disparities faced by Puerto Rican women during childbirth, revealing some of the worst birth outcomes among all Hispanic groups. Published in the American Journal of Public Health Latino Health supplement, the paper “Social Justice Is Overdue for Puerto Rican Mothers” calls attention to the systematic societal and economic conditions plaguing the island. Lead author Cynthia Lebron (above), assistant professor at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies, emphasizes that while Latinas are often portrayed as “good birthers,” Puerto Rican women on the island experience alarmingly poor birth outcomes. These include high rates…
A widespread misunderstanding in medical practice is causing undue stress and potentially harmful interventions for many Black patients. The issue stems from the interpretation of white blood cell counts, which are often lower in people of African or Middle Eastern descent due to a genetic variant. Vanessa Apea’s experience exemplifies this problem. As a 21-year-old medical student, she was told her low white blood cell count could indicate leukemia, causing significant distress. It took a second opinion from a Black doctor to reveal that her results were perfectly normal for someone of her ancestry. This phenomenon, historically termed “benign ethnic neutropenia,”…
Communities of color across the United States are facing a silent but deadly threat: increased exposure to toxic chemicals known as PFAS. These “forever chemicals” are disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic populations, exacerbating existing health disparities and environmental injustice. Recent studies have shown that Black people are 75% more likely than the average American to live near facilities that produce hazardous waste. This proximity to pollution hotspots, including military bases, airports, and industrial sites, puts these communities at higher risk of exposure to PFAS through contaminated drinking water. The health consequences of PFAS exposure are severe. These chemicals have been linked to…
Developing database of proteins for targeting drugs in underrepresented populations
An alarming new study reveals that nearly 18 million U.S. adults may struggle to get accurate blood pressure readings at home due to poorly fitting cuffs. This issue disproportionately impacts Black adults, with approximately 12% unable to use standard cuff sizes, compared to just 6.6% of white adults. The study’s senior author, Dr. Kunihiro Matsushita, emphasizes that this disparity is particularly concerning given the already high and rising prevalence of high blood pressure among Black adults.Most of the popular home blood pressure monitoring devices come with the same cuff size range, designed to fit arms with circumferences between 8.7 and…
In a significant shift, cardiologists are moving away from race-based risk calculators for heart disease, opting instead for a more nuanced approach that considers social factors. The American Heart Association’s new PREVENT calculator, quietly released in January, marks a departure from traditional methods by incorporating ZIP codes to assess cardiovascular risk.For years, race has been a contentious factor in heart disease risk prediction. The widely used atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) calculator included race, potentially overestimating risk for Black patients. This led to concerns about overprescribing statins and perpetuating harmful stereotypes.The PREVENT calculator aims to address these issues by replacing race…
Investing $210+ million in scientific research on health inequities and expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups in science and medicine
Recent data reveals a concerning trend in lung cancer cases among young women of Asian and Latina descent, shedding light on growing health disparities. Dr. Narjust Florez, a thoracic oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, reports seeing patients as young as 18 with metastatic lung cancer, despite no prior tobacco exposure. The rise in lung cancer cases among non-smokers has been particularly pronounced in women, who are 2.5 times more likely than men to develop the disease without a history of tobacco use. Environmental factors play a significant role in this disparity, with Asian American and Hispanic/Latina women facing higher risks due…