Health Disparities News and Research

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Health disparities (also called healthcare inequality in some countries) refer to gaps in the quality of health and health care across racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and socioeconomic groups.

Liver function tests misinterpreted in majority of children's hospitals

New research led by physician-scientists at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine shows that the test most commonly used to screen pediatric patients for chronic liver disease is often incorrectly interpreted in many children's hospitals throughout the United States.

2 Apr 2010

Quality Interactions Patient Decision Support Tool to care for diverse patient populations

Manhattan Cross Cultural Group is now offering a special introduction to the Quality Interactions® Patient Decision Support Tool for small healthcare organizations at http://www.qualityinteractions.org/index.new.html. This one-of-a-kind online resource allows healthcare organizations to access valuable information related to cross-cultural care to care for diverse patient populations at time of service.

1 Apr 2010

NHS Primary Care Trust Managers inefficient, says Commons Health Committee report

Managers of NHS primary care trusts (PCTs) who are in charge of 80% of the annual budget have drawn flak recently from the MPs. Figures revealed last week that the number of health managers have risen by 80% in the last decade.

30 Mar 2010

Few pregnant women meet physical activity guidelines set by health officials: Study

Fewer than 1 in 4 pregnant women meet physical activity guidelines set by doctors and health officials, according to a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study.

30 Mar 2010

Racial disparity in infant sleep-related deaths

A study conducted by Children's Memorial Research Center reveals that African American infants are far more likely to die from sleep-related causes than any other ethnic group in Illinois.

30 Mar 2010

Workforce pipeline to help address disparities in mental health services in Massachusetts

Supporting clinical training programs that develop language skills and cultural competence and forgiving educational loans for psychology graduates who have this kind of training can help meet the critical need for mental health providers to care for Latinos and other underserved populations, said leaders of Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, who spoke at the state Health Disparities Council meeting earlier this week.

29 Mar 2010

NCMHD announces $3.8M grant for research on minority recruitment in cancer clinical trials

The University of Minnesota Medical School today announced the details of a $3.8 million grant by the National Institutes of Health's National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities for research focused on minority recruitment and retention in cancer clinical trials.

26 Mar 2010

Passage of health care reform signals the beginning of new era for nurse-led health care

When health care reform was signed into law by President Obama on Tuesday, it signaled the beginning of a new era for nurse-led health care. H.R. 3590 will capitalize on the ability of nurse practitioners to provide high-quality primary and preventive care by defining "nurse-managed health clinic" in the Public Health Service Act and creating a new $50 million grant program to support innovative safety net providers.

26 Mar 2010

Mexican-American women les likely to use emergency medical services for stroke symptoms

Mexican Americans are 40 percent less likely than non-Hispanic whites to call 9-1-1 and be taken to the hospital via ambulance for stroke - resulting in medical treatment delays - according to a new study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

26 Mar 2010

Standard HCV therapy less effective in urban minority patients: Study

A recent study confirms that the standard hepatitis C therapy, pegylated interferon and ribavirin, is significantly less effective in urban minority patients treated in an ordinary clinical practice setting compared with results produced during clinical trials.

26 Mar 2010

Hepatitis C treatment less effective in urban minority patients

A recent study confirms that the standard hepatitis C (HCV) therapy, pegylated interferon and ribavirin, is significantly less effective in urban minority patients treated in an ordinary clinical practice setting compared with results produced during clinical trials. Results of this study appear in the April issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

25 Mar 2010

Lack of good health care curtails academic performance: Study

"Educationally relevant health disparities" are key drivers of the achievement gap, "but they are largely overlooked," said Charles Basch, the Richard March Hoe Professor of Health Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.

25 Mar 2010

Majority of Pennsylvania women do not seek treatments for chronic pain

Results of a statewide pain survey revealed that chronic pain is widespread among Pennsylvania women but often left untreated.

24 Mar 2010

Researchers create audio CDs to encourage physical activity among school students

The National Institutes of Health has awarded Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University $1.22 million to combat childhood obesity in the Bronx.

24 Mar 2010

NMA to discuss impact of historic health care reform legislation on health disparities

With the passage of the historic health care legislation, the National Medical Association (NMA), the nation's oldest and largest organization representing the interests of 30,000 African American physicians will hold a press conference to address health care reform implementation and its impact on health disparities.

23 Mar 2010

Study: Four risk factors estimated to reduce life expectancy in the U.S.

A study published this week in PLoS Medicine finds that four risk factors - smoking, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and obesity - explain a substantial amount of the disparity in life expectancy amongst the "Eight Americas", which are groups of the US population that can be defined by race, and location and socioeconomic features of counties they live in.

23 Mar 2010

Republicans start assault on new health bill

Almost instantly after the successful passing of the health bill by the Democrats in Congress, the Republicans have started opposing it. In Florida the legal battle is led by Attorney General Bill McCollum, who happens to be a Republican running for governor. In a statement made at a news conference Bill McCollum told the press that a lawsuit would be filed once the health care bill was signed by President Obama and turned into Law.

23 Mar 2010

Gender divide over the healthcare reform bill

The historic healthcare reform bill has unearthed a strong difference between the Catholic nuns and Bishops. In short the great gender divide is at play again! While 59,000 nuns all over the country are in support of the bill, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops oppose it strongly.

22 Mar 2010

Novel ways of killing TB causing bacteria discovered

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found two novel ways of killing the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB), a disease responsible for an estimated two million deaths each year. The findings, published in the March 21 online issue of Nature Chemical Biology, could lead to a potent TB therapy that would also prevent resistant TB strains from developing.

22 Mar 2010

NMA supports health system reform

"The National Medical Association believes the passage of health care legislation this weekend will be one of the most important steps Congress can take in securing America's future," remarked Dr. Willarda V. Edwards, president of the National Medical Association. "The NMA is hopeful that Sunday's vote will bring relief to millions of Americans who wonder what will happen to them if they get sick," she continued.

20 Mar 2010

Health Disparities News and Research

Further Reading

Liver function tests misinterpreted in majority of children's hospitals

Quality Interactions Patient Decision Support Tool to care for diverse patient populations

NHS Primary Care Trust Managers inefficient, says Commons Health Committee report

Few pregnant women meet physical activity guidelines set by health officials: Study

Racial disparity in infant sleep-related deaths

Workforce pipeline to help address disparities in mental health services in Massachusetts

NCMHD announces $3.8M grant for research on minority recruitment in cancer clinical trials

Passage of health care reform signals the beginning of new era for nurse-led health care

Mexican-American women les likely to use emergency medical services for stroke symptoms

Standard HCV therapy less effective in urban minority patients: Study

Hepatitis C treatment less effective in urban minority patients

Lack of good health care curtails academic performance: Study

Majority of Pennsylvania women do not seek treatments for chronic pain

Researchers create audio CDs to encourage physical activity among school students

NMA to discuss impact of historic health care reform legislation on health disparities

Study: Four risk factors estimated to reduce life expectancy in the U.S.

Republicans start assault on new health bill

Gender divide over the healthcare reform bill

Novel ways of killing TB causing bacteria discovered

NMA supports health system reform

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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