U.S. life expectancy fell by a year in the first half of 2020, CDC report finds
The Covid-19 pandemic is likely responsible for “the majority of the decline,” said Elizabeth Arias, lead author of the report. More
Latinos face barriers like fear, language in getting vaccine
From elderly Cuban Americans in Florida to farmworkers in California, Latinos face daunting barriers to getting COVID-19 vaccines, creating risks for public health as the coronavirus mutates and spreads. More
Association of Medicaid Expansion With Quality in Safety-Net Hospitals
This cohort study compares quality measures in safety-net hospitals between states with Medicaid expansion vs nonexpansion following implementation of the Affordable Care Act. More
Covid-19 shows how our hospital system is “separate and unequal”
An investigation of a hospital overwhelmed by Covid-19 in Los Angeles shows the vast inequalities between the safety net institutions and other hospitals in the area. More
The Case for Helping the World Get Vaccinated
By buying up the vast majority of available vaccines and not using government powers to ramp up production, wealthy countries, including the United States, are making it all but impossible for poorer countries the get their citizens vaccinated. That’s shortsighted. As long as large swaths of the globe remains unvaccinated, we all remain at risk from a virus that is free to mutate rapidly and is already proving capable of evading at least one vaccine. The Biden administration is going to have to decide what role the U.S. government will play to ensure that poorer nations get the vaccine quickly and affordably. If the United States and other wealthy countries do not find a way to increase production and lower prices, people around the world will die unnecessarily and U.S. economic and geopolitical interests will suffer. More
How Much Does a C-Section Cost? At One Hospital, Anywhere From $6,241 to $60,584
New federally mandated disclosures by California’s Sutter Health illustrate the wide disparity in healthcare rates negotiated by insurers. More
Covid-19 vaccination rates follow the money in states with the biggest wealth gaps, analysis shows
The findings back up, with hard data, anecdotal reports that wealthy people have been able to gain access to vaccines ahead of poor people. More
Could AI tools for breast cancer worsen disparities? Patchy public data in FDA filings fuel concern
The FDA's decision to clear breast cancer AI tools without requiring publicly disclosure of demographic data threatens to worsen disparities. More
‘These numbers are incredibly important’: Doctors and lawmakers call on FDA to address racial disparities in pulse oximeters
Research shows some pulse oximeters, which measure oxygen levels, aren’t as accurate in Black patients and other people of color. More
Factors Associated With Racial Differences in Deaths Among Nursing Home Residents With COVID-19 Infection in the US
This cross-sectional study uses data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to describe the racial differences in the number of COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents by the racial composition of the facility and to examine the factors associated with these differences. More
Back to ‘normal’ isn’t good enough
Normal was not equitable or just, so back to normal means that the societal vulnerabilities that fueled Covid-19 remain. More
Lack of targeted outreach, translated materials leaves Latino community behind as Pa. struggles with vaccine rollout
Older Pennsylvanians, who are supposed to be among the first in line to get the vaccine, are also struggling with clunky and disjointed online signups. More
Community Health Workers, Often Overlooked, Bring Trust to the Pandemic Fight
As the pandemic brings long-standing health disparities into sharper view, community health workers are being asked to help the public health response. More
Truth and transparency after Covid-19: Mending the relationship between hospitals and the communities they serve
Communities deserve to hear how the hospitals they depend on will help them get back on their feet and mend the wounds opened by the pandemic. More
The Wealthy Are Getting More Vaccinations, Even in Poorer Neighborhoods
Officials acknowledge that the coveted shots are disproportionately going to white people and that planners’ efforts to course-correct are having limited effect. More
Race and ethnicity data missing for nearly half of coronavirus vaccine recipients, federal study finds
The lack of data further stymies efforts to ensure an equitable response to a pandemic that continues to unduly burden communities of color. More
Without a Ride, Many in Need Have No Shot at COVID-19 Vaccine
“Transportation is … often one of the biggest barriers to health care.” More
Opinion | How to fix racial inequality in covid-19 vaccination
The Biden administration must act urgently to address disparities. More
Large majority of doctors hold misconceptions about people with disabilities, survey finds
82% of doctors thought the quality of life of those with disabilities was either “a little worse” or “a lot worse” than those without. More
As Vaccine Rollout Expands, Black Americans Still Left Behind
Covid vaccines are reaching more Americans, but Black residents are being vaccinated at dramatically lower rates in the 23 states where data is publicly available More