The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA) of 2024, a comprehensive bill designed to address racial and ethnic health disparities. Sponsored by Representatives Barbara Lee and Judy Chu, along with Senator Mazie K. Hirono, the legislation seeks to improve health outcomes for underserved and marginalized communities. The HEAA includes provisions to enhance cancer research and improve access to prevention, early detection, and care. It also addresses health inequities related to immigration status, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, language, and socioeconomic status. The bill has strong support from the Congressional Tri-Caucuses, which includes…
Author: Disparity Matters
Medical schools across the United States are working to enroll more Black, Hispanic, and Native American students to address the underrepresentation of these groups in medicine. However, these efforts are facing challenges from Republican lawmakers in several states who are restricting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education. The University of Mississippi School of Medicine, for example, holds an annual African American Visit Day to recruit more Black students in a state where nearly 40% of the population is Black, but only 10% of doctors are. Research has shown that patients of color often prefer doctors of their own…
A recent study presented at the Infectious Disease Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology 2024 Annual Meeting has revealed a significant link between transportation insecurity and lower influenza vaccination rates among pregnant individuals, with pronounced racial and ethnic disparities. The research highlights how lack of reliable transportation disproportionately affects pregnant women of color, contributing to lower flu vaccination rates. The study found that transportation insecurity, defined as the inability to access safe and reliable transportation, was reported by 20.5% of Black pregnant patients compared to 8.6%of White patients. Hispanic and Asian patients also experienced higher rates of transportation insecurity at 10.4% and…
A new study suggests that modifying current lung cancer screening guidelines could significantly reduce racial disparities in screening eligibility, potentially leading to earlier detection and improved outcomes for Black Americans. The research, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, challenges the current U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation that uses pack-year smoking history as a criterion for screening eligibility. Researchers from Mass General Cancer Center and Boston University, proposes replacing the 20-pack-year requirement with a 20-year smoking duration requirement. This change could increase the proportion of lung cancer patients who would qualify for screening and eliminate the racial disparity…
A new study published in Health Services Research examines racial disparities in prior authorization outcomes for cancer patients insured by a major national commercial provider. The research, conducted by Benjamin Ukert, Ph.D., from Texas A&M University School of Public Health, and a colleague at Penn State, analyzed data from 18,041 patients diagnosed with cancer between January 1, 2017, and April 1, 2020. The study focused on the 13 most common cancers, excluding basal cell carcinomas, and examined prior authorization process outcomes. The sample was 85% white, 3% Asian, 10% Black, and 1% Hispanic, with 64% female and an average age of…
Recent studies reveal significant disparities in mental health care access among college students of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. While mental health concerns have increased across all college students, those from minority groups face unique challenges in seeking treatment. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, led by Natalia Van Doren, Ph.D., examined data from over 5,800 students across 26 colleges and universities. They found that while all students cited preferences for self-reliance, lack of time, and financial difficulties as common barriers, students of color faced additional hurdles. Black and Hispanic/Latine students reported more financial barriers to treatment than their white…
A new study from the University of Minnesota Medical School and the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research has revealed a concerning link between a bone marrow donor’s socioeconomic status and the survival rates of transplant recipients. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that cancer patients who received bone marrow from donors living in areas with lower socioeconomic status were 6.6% more likely to die within three years of the transplant. The study examined 2,005 cancer patients who received bone marrow transplants between 2000 and 2013. Recipients of cells from donors in…
A flawed blood test that disadvantaged Black kidney patients has been corrected, leading to thousands of African Americans moving up on transplant waiting lists across the United States. In Illinois alone, 1,200 Black patients awaiting kidney transplants are affected by this change. The eGFR blood test, which assesses kidney function, previously factored in race, often placing African Americans in a healthier status and further down the waitlist. A task force comprising the American Society of Nephrology and the National Kidney Foundation determined this method was flawed and recommended removing race from the equation. Helena Fields, a suburban special education teacher, benefited from…
A recent Gallup poll has revealed that Black Americans are disproportionately affected by and concerned about environmental pollution compared to other racial groups in the United States. The survey of over 12,000 U.S. adults found that Black respondents were significantly more likely to express concerns about various types of environmental contamination in their communities. Black adults showed higher levels of concern across all categories, with 39% reporting being “very” or “fairly concerned” about exposure to toxic building materials, nearly double the national average. Concerns were even higher for water, soil, and air pollution, with 53% of Black adults expressing increased worry…
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s recent decision to add a “Middle Eastern or North African” (MENA) category to the U.S. Census could uncover previously hidden health disparities among this population. Historically grouped under the “white” category, MENA individuals have lacked representation in official statistics, masking potential inequalities in health outcomes and social determinants of health. Public comments collected by the OMB highlighted maternal mortality and mental health as primary concerns for the MENA community. Epidemiologist Tiffany Kindratt of the University of Texas at Arlington notes that while health disparities are well-documented for other minority groups, little is known about…