Feature Channels: Health Disparities

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Previous studies have reported high rates of death by suicide and drug overdose – including opioid overdose – in military service members with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). A new study finds that those risks are highest among military members with mTBI who identify their racial/ethnic status as "Other," as opposed to standard racial/ethnic categories, reports the March/April issue of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation (JHTR). The official journal of the Brain Injury Association of America, JHTR is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

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As part of Mercy Health Services’ (MHS) efforts to provide comprehensive patient education, greater access to care, and resources to address social determinants of health, MHS has announced specific offerings and features of the new Preventive Care Center (PCC).

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At the Hunt School of Dental Medicine, the clinic allows dental students to gain practical skills under faculty supervision, while offering reduced-cost dental care to Borderplex residents.

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New research from Washington University in St. Louis finds evidence that parasitic infections in kids are likely widespread in low-resource communities throughout the southern United States, where environmental conditions combined with infrastructural neglect and inadequate access to health care create the perfect breeding ground for these infections.

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A new Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute study found that for American Indian/Native American women, living in above-average-income communities was not associated with higher mammography use compared to American Indian/Native American women living in below-average-income communities.

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Older Black men have a higher chance of dying within 30 days of surgery than do Black women and white men and women – with their odds of death 50% higher after elective surgery compared with white men.

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Black women at high risk of breast cancer face a variety of obstacles that may keep them from care that could prevent cancer and increase the chances they’ll survive if they develop the disease, new research has found.

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Outside of TTP El Paso, there are no other orthopaedic traumatologists (specialists trained in orthopaedic trauma) within a 250-mile radius of El Paso. Colleagues from Big Bend, Texas, to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, regularly refer challenging cases involving fracture-related complications, deformities and hardware implant problems to Dr. Adler and his team.

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Black people are receiving medications for dementia less often than white people, according to a preliminary study released today, February 26, 2023, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 75th Annual Meeting being held in person in Boston and live online from April 22-27, 2023.

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Rebecca Schneyer, MD, has received the Medstar National Center for Advanced Pelvic Surgery Diversity and Inclusion Award given by the Foundation of the AAGL.

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The mural, designed in collaboration with members of organizations in the surrounding urban community, is one part of the The University of Kansas Cancer Center’s broader campaign to increase the participation of minority and underserved populations in clinical trials.

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According to a new, nationwide study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society, millions of people in the United States continued to miss critical cancer screening tests during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, applauds Representative Lisa Willner (D-Louisville) for working with Komen to introduce legislation that would remove financial barriers to imaging that can rule out breast cancer or confirm the need for a biopsy. In 2023, more than 4,030 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 790 will die of the disease in Kentucky alone.

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Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, applauds Senator Kate Lieber (D-Beaverton) for working with Komen to introduce legislation that would remove financial barriers to imaging that can rule out breast cancer or confirm the need for a biopsy. In 2023, more than 4,220 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 570 will die of the disease in Oregon alone.

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Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, applauds Representative Jodee Etchart (R-Billings) for working with Komen to introduce legislation that would remove financial barriers to imaging that can rule out breast cancer or confirm the need for a biopsy. In 2023, more than 1,030 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 150 will die of the disease in Montana alone.

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Supported by a new $3.14 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to Cleveland Clinic, researchers are using an emerging technology known as “digital twins” to better understand healthcare disparities based on where someone lives. Researchers from Cleveland Clinic and MetroHealth aim to use this information to develop strategies designed to reduce these disparities in health outcomes.

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Patients with early-stage estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer who live in low-income neighborhoods are likelier to have more-aggressive tumors and significantly lower overall survival (OS) than those in higher-income neighborhoods, according to research led by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. The study, “Association of neighborhood-level household income with 21-gene recurrence score and survival among patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer,” appears today in JAMA Network Open.

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Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, applauds Senator Dinah Sykes (D-Lenexa) and the House Committee on Health and Human Services for working with Komen to introduce legislation that would remove financial barriers to imaging that can rule out breast cancer or confirm the need for a biopsy.

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Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, applauds Senator Becky Massey (R-Knoxville) and Representative Rebecca Alexander (D-Jonesborough) for working with Komen to introduce legislation that would remove financial barriers to imaging that can rule out breast cancer or confirm the need for a biopsy.

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Early diagnosis of uterine cancer is known to improve a patient’s chances for survival, but previous research has found that Black patients are less likely to receive early diagnoses than people of other racial and ethnic groups. A new analysis by Yale researchers provides insights into why that is: They found that Black patients were more likely than their white counterparts to experience testing delays or to not receive recommended tests at all.

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Researchers calculated the effect of social determinants of health — specifically neighborhood disadvantage and insurance status — on mortality and found they accounted for 19% of the disparity. They also calculated the effect of biological characteristics of the tumors by looking at data from genomic laboratory test results, which were used to anticipate tumor response to chemotherapy and likelihood of recurrence. They found tumor biology accounted for 20% of the disparity.

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This free online resource of information and education for families facing childhood and adolescent cancer has a truly global reach.

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The Border Health Outreach Initiative is a collaborative effort between the university, local health care providers and community organizations. The initiative will provide access to cutting-edge research, community engagement opportunities, and state-of-the-art telehealth services for individuals in the region.

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UChicago Medicine's project to build a hospital dedicated to cancer care, prevention and research has been revised in response to needs of patients and will bring world-class, human-centered care to the South Side, where the incidence of cancer is too high.

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Data shows that unless the pattern of furnishing primary health care, particularly to underserved groups in both urban and rural areas, is drastically improved, these groups will suffer in inequitable and unnecessary ways. It is clear that the primary care workforce must be expanded and diversified.

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Neighborhood redevelopment, which transforms low-income neighborhoods through rezoning, new construction and renovation, can lead to health benefits, such as greater access to fresh produce, improved housing, and more green spaces. But these advantages may not extend to all area residents. More information is needed about the impact of redevelopment, also known as urban renewal, on health, particularly if it contributes to inequities among middle-aged and older adults.

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New UC Davis Health research confirms that pediatric critical care telemedicine consults with clinicians in rural and community emergency departments result in fewer hospital transfers.

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Only 56 percent of Medicaid-enrolled children received any outpatient follow-up within 30 days after discharge from the Emergency Department (ED) for a mental health concern, according to a large study published in the journal Pediatrics. Rates of timely follow-up among Black children were particularly low, with 10 percent fewer receiving an outpatient mental health appointment within 30 days compared to white children.

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St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital researchers find increased risk of mortality in childhood cancer survivors is associated independently with local poverty, chronic conditions and frailty.

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The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) are calling for greater understanding and intersectoral action to tackle the stigma and discrimination faced by people with epilepsy worldwide.

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People who are unemployed due to brain or spine cancer may experience more severe symptoms of pain, discomfort, anxiety and depression than people with these cancers who are employed, according to a study published in the February 8, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Trans and non-binary adults are more likely than the general population to experience long term health conditions, including mental health problems, dementia and learning disabilities, and to be autistic, according to new research.

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The study focused on consumers impacted by sickle cell disease

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A community health workers training program, led by the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science in collaboration with community partners, aims to increase access to health care services in underserved neighborhoods.

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Susan G. Komen commends the introduction of legislation in California that would remove financial barriers to imaging that can rule out breast cancer or confirm the need for a biopsy. In 2023, more than 32,020 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 4,680 will die of the disease in California alone.

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An ongoing pilot project aims to evaluate the feasibility of implementing the Health Equity Report Card (HERC) as a tool for improving the quality and equity of cancer care and continues the Elevating Cancer Equity collaboration from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), and National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF)--highlighted on World Cancer Day.

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Postpartum depression (PPD) affects up to 20% of mothers and birthing parents, yet only 1 in 10 receive evidence-based treatment. Barriers include time limitations, long waitlists, and concerns about stigma and judgment by health care providers.

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As an association representing 108 of North America’s leading cancer centers, AACI has actively supported the president’s cancer efforts and stands ready to continue its collaboration with the Biden administration, the NCI, and others who are accelerating progress against cancer.

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High-risk pregnancy specialists from Cedars-Sinai will be among an international group of investigators sharing new research at the 43rd Annual Pregnancy Meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM). The conference takes place in San Francisco, Feb. 6-11, with the scientific sessions, including oral and poster presentations, beginning Thursday, Feb. 9.