A new study published in the journal Cancer reveals a strong link between structural racism and increased cancer risk from traffic-related air pollution. Researchers from Emory University examined 134 counties in Georgia, developing a comprehensive measure of structural racism that goes beyond residential segregation to include factors such as education, employment, incarceration, economic status, political participation, and home ownership. The study found that people living in neighborhoods with the highest levels of structural racism had a 7.8 times higher estimated risk of developing cancer from traffic-related air pollutants compared to those in areas with low structural racism. This suggests that neighborhood…
Author: Disparity Matters
A recent study has revealed alarming disparities in preventive care for children with sickle cell anemia, a genetic condition primarily affecting African Americans. Dr. Ashaunta Anderson, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, led research examining Medicaid claims data from California and Georgia between 2010 and 2019. The findings showed that only one in five children aged 3 months to 5 years with sickle cell anemia received daily antibiotics to prevent infections, and just half of children and adolescents aged 2 to 15 underwent yearly brain scans to assess stroke risk. These preventive measures are crucial for managing sickle cell disease, which…
A new study published in Nature Medicine reveals that environmental and social factors can significantly impact the biological age of the brain, with potential implications for racial and ethnic health disparities in the United States. Researchers from the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity College Dublin analyzed data from over 5,000 participants across 15 countries, including the US, to develop advanced measures of brain aging. The study found that populations from countries with greater inequalities generally exhibited older brain ages, particularly in regions vulnerable to aging. Structural socioeconomic inequality, air pollution, and the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases were identified…
The days of HIV being a death sentence are long over. With advancements in medicine and prevention efforts, contracting the virus doesn’t mean your life will end. But stigma, misinformation, and shame continue to burden Black and Brown folks who are overwhelmingly vulnerable to the virus. Shadawn McCants (above) was diagnosed with HIV at 17-years-old. Now 46, she says back in 1995 when she was diagnosed, it was a death sentence. But McCants still went on to finish high school, get her undergraduate degree, and later her master’s degree. Now, she’s a licensed therapist and an advocate for HIV awareness.…
A new study published in JAMA Network Open reveals significant disparities in hypertension prevalence and treatment across neighborhoods in the United States. Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine found that the prevalence of hypertension increases with neighborhood disadvantage, highlighting stark racial and socioeconomic inequalities in cardiovascular health. The study analyzed electronic health record data from 56,387 adults across 1,157 neighborhoods, linking it to the area deprivation index (ADI) at the U.S. Census Block Group level. Results showed a clear gradient of hypertension prevalence across ADI quintiles, with the highest ADI quintile neighborhoods experiencing nearly double the hypertension rate…
A new University of Hawaiʻi report reveals significant health disparities between rural and urban areas in Hawaiʻi, with even greater challenges for rural minorities and those with disabilities or living in poverty. The study, based on a survey of 1,571 residents, found that rural Hawaiians face worse overall health and more days of restricted activities due to physical and mental health issues compared to urban residents. The disparities are particularly pronounced for certain racial and ethnic groups. For Asians, less than 70% of rural residents reported high overall health, compared to over 80% of urban Asian residents. Native Hawaiians and Pacific…
A new study using national hospital data has uncovered significant racial disparities in how disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) are diagnosed in children compared to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Researchers analyzed discharge data from over 700,000 pediatric inpatients with an average age of 9.3 years. Among children diagnosed with either ADHD or a DBD, those from racial minority groups were more likely to receive a DBD diagnosis. Native American children had the highest odds of being diagnosed with a DBD rather than ADHD, at 2.18 times higher than white children. Asian children were 1.88 times more likely, Black children 1.40 times more likely,…
A new study reveals that social and economic factors play a major role in explaining racial disparities in cancer survival rates among Americans. Researchers analyzed data from over 5,000 cancer survivors and found that Black and Hispanic patients were much more likely to face multiple social disadvantages compared to White patients. The study, published in BMC Medicine, examined “social determinants of health” like employment, income, education, and insurance coverage. Black cancer survivors were 1.6 times more likely than White survivors to have low family income, which was associated with 50% higher all-cause mortality. “Unfavorable social determinants of health levels were critical risk…
Launching Task Force to Combat Racial Disparities in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy
Focusing on improving diabetes care for underserved communities