News Feature Channel: Health Disparities

Expert: 4 Key Trump Administration Policy Changes That Could Make Life Harder for Disabled People

Binghamton University, State University of New York — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 17:20:04 EST

When Dads Take Leave, Moms Breastfeed Longer

Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 16:50:17 EST

Fathers who take at least two weeks of leave after their child's birth are significantly more likely to report longer breastfeeding duration, according to a recent survey led by scientists at Northwestern University and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.

Small Practice Radiologists and Those Reporting Individual Face Disadvantages in MIPS Scoring, Highlighting Need for Reform

Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 09:00:00 EST

New Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute research found significant differences in performance across radiologists in the CMS Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). The researchers examined a broad range of radiologist and practice characteristics and identified the set of factors that predicted whether a radiologist would score exceptionally, and thus receive the highest payment bonus, or would fail to meet this bar. The study, published today in the Journal of the American College of Radiology, found that the strongest predictor of a radiologist's lower performance was reporting as an individual clinician, rather than as part of a group of physicians or an Advanced Payment Model (APM) entity. Individual radiologists were 7.4 times more likely to fail to achieve "exceptional" status than group reporting radiologists, indicating potential disadvantage in the MIPS program.

Untangling Mental Health Disparities in Bisexual Young Adults

Association for Psychological Science — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 11:45:13 EST

Researchers break apart monoliths to find out why bisexual people are more burdened by mental health challenges than gay or lesbian people.

Texas Tech Health El Paso Researcher Receives $55,000 Marsh Foundation Grant to Advance Alzheimer's Research

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 11:00:57 EST

Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia, affecting approximately 6.7 million people in the United States over the age of 65, according to the Centers for Disease Control. El Paso County, where 83% of the population identifies as Hispanic, ranks 10th among U.S. counties with populations over 10,000 for Alzheimer's prevalence, according to recent Alzheimer's Association research. Despite these alarming statistics, there is currently no noninvasive, early detection method for Alzheimer's disease.

No Difference in Prevalence of Common Chronic Conditions Between Medicare Advantage and Fee-for-Service Populations

American College of Physicians (ACP) — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 17:00:00 EST

A nationally representative cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic conditions among Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries compared to those in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare.

New ACS Study Shows Cancer Mortality Rates Among Black People Declining, but Remain Higher Than Other Racial and Ethnic Groups

American Cancer Society (ACS) — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 07:00:00 EST

The American Cancer Society today released Cancer Statistics for African American and Black People, 2025. According to the report, the cancer mortality rate declined from 1991 to 2022 by 49% and 33% in Black men and women, respectively, in the United States.

MSU Study: Socioeconomic Factors, Unpredictability Complicate Diagnosis of Episodic Disabilities, Like Epilepsy

Michigan State University — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 19:40:45 EST

MSU study: Socioeconomic factors, unpredictability complicate diagnosis of episodic disabilities, like epilepsy

U.S. Facing Critical Hospital Bed Shortage by 2032

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 11:00:00 EST

The new post-pandemic national hospital occupancy average is 75% -- a full 11 percentage points higher than the pre-pandemic average, largely due to a reduction in staffed hospital beds. This puts the U.S. on track for a severe shortage of hospital beds by 2032 unless action is taken.

Perceived Discrimination Is Associated with Differences in Gene Expression

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:45:15 EST

Experiencing discrimination correlates with differences in gene expression by race and sex, affecting immune response and disease risk, according to a study in The FASEB Journal. Researchers found 28 genes linked to inflammation and tumorigenesis were differentially expressed in those perceiving high discrimination.

New ACS Study Finds Menthol Flavored Cigarette Smoking Increases Mortality Risk vs. Non-Menthol Cigarettes

American Cancer Society (ACS) — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:00:00 EST

In a large, nationwide study led by the American Cancer Society, researchers found mortality risks for smoking menthol cigarettes were higher than non-menthol cigarettes for death from any cause and cardiovascular diseases, especially heart diseases. Higher risks were evident in individuals who had quit smoking and at high smoking intensities.

Study Finds More Barriers to Genetic Testing for Black Children Than White Children

American Academy of Neurology (AAN) — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:00:00 EST

For children with signs of neurological conditions such as autism, epilepsy and global developmental delay, genetic testing can help make the diagnosis, identify possible treatments and determine whether family members could be affected, among other benefits.

Telehealth May Be Closing the Care Gap for People with Substance Use Disorder in Rural Areas

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:00:00 EST

People who live in rural areas may be benefiting from telehealth as a modality for substance use disorder treatment to a greater extent than their urban counterparts. Meanwhile, people with Medicaid are less likely to use telehealth than those with Medicare Advantage or commercial insurance

Expert Available: Black History Month: Bringing Awareness to the Maternal Health Crisis

George Washington University — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:25:45 EST

Each year in the United States, hundreds of people die during pregnancy or in the year following. According to the CDC, Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause... ...

Health Care Students and Clinicians Support Integrated Care Education

Rutgers University-New Brunswick — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 14:00:48 EST

A multidisciplinary, team approach to health care delivery education is valued by health sciences students and faculty, according to a Rutgers Health study

ALS Survival May Be Cut Short by Living in Disadvantaged Communities

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 06:30:10 EST

Living in a disadvantaged community may decrease the length of time a person can survive with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, by over 30%, a study suggests. Similar studies have shown that living in resource-deprived areas is associated with a higher burden of Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias.

Cancer Diagnoses and Deaths are Declining in Appalachia but Remain Significantly Higher Compared to Other US Regions

American College of Surgeons (ACS) — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:00:22 EST

Fewer people than before are being diagnosed with and dying from cancer in Appalachia, but cancer incidence and death rates remain substantially higher compared to elsewhere in the U.S.

Expert Available: American Heart Month

George Washington University — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 19:25:49 EST

February is American Heart Month and a time when people are encouraged to focus on their cardiovascular health. ...

Black, Hispanic Kids Less Likely to Get Migraine Diagnosis in ER

American Academy of Neurology (AAN) — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 16:00:00 EST

Children and young people who are Black or Hispanic are less likely to be diagnosed with migraine than those who are white when being seen for headache in a pediatric emergency department, according to a study published in the February 5, 2025, online issue of Neurology(r), the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study also found they received fewer tests and less intensive treatment.

Why Do Women Have More Trouble After Knee Injuries? UTSW Model Explains

UT Southwestern Medical Center — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 10:55:14 EST

A computer model of the cellular environment inside the knee developed by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers sheds light on why women tend to have worse outcomes after knee injuries than men. Their findings, published in Scientific Reports, could facilitate research into new therapies for knee inflammatory disorders and personalized treatments for patients with these conditions.