Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities最新文献

Background

Mortgage discrimination refers to the systematic withholding of home mortgages from minoritized groups. In recent years, there has been an increase in empirical research investigating associations of historical and contemporary mortgage discrimination on contemporary outcomes. Investigators have used a variety of measurement methods and approaches, which may have implications for results and interpretation.

Purpose

We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature that has quantified links between both historical and current mortgage discrimination with contemporary adverse environmental, social, and health outcomes. Our goals were to document the methodology used to measure and assign mortgage discrimination, to assess implications for results and interpretation, and to make recommendations for future work.

Methods

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, literature searches were conducted in September 2022 using terms that combined concepts of mortgage discrimination, health, and neighborhood environment.

Results

In total, 45 papers fit the eligibility criteria. In these, researchers investigated associations between mortgage discrimination and: (1) health outcomes (N = 28); (2) environmental and social exposures including heat, air pollution, greenspace, soil lead levels, and crime (N = 12); and (3) built environment features, including presence of retail alcohol, fast food, and tobacco stores (N = 5). Eleven included studies used Home Mortgage Discrimination Act (HMDA) data to identify racialized bias in mortgage discrimination or redlining, and 34 used Homeowner Loan Corporation (HOLC) maps. The construction and parametrization of mortgage discrimination or redlining and the spatial assignment of HOLC grades to contemporary addresses or neighborhoods varied substantially across studies.

Conclusions

Results from our review suggest the need for careful consideration of optimal methods to analyze mortgage discrimination such as HOLC spatial assignment or HMDA index parametrization, contemplation of covariates, and place-based knowledge of the study location.

Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality rates are declining for American adults, a disparity remains between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White adults. Previous research has shown that residential segregation, a form of structural racism, experienced in childhood is associated with later-life racial and ethnic health disparities, including disparities in CVD and its risk factors. However, little is known about the health consequences of exposure to segregated schools, especially among those living in neighborhoods with high concentrations of minoritized people. This study used data from the In-School, Wave I, and Wave IV surveys of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health to examine a novel school measure of school racial segregation (Index of the Concentration of Extremes, ICE) as a predictor of Framingham 30-year CVD risk scores. We used General Estimating Equation models to evaluate the association between ICE, measured at Wave I, and two different 30-year CVD risk scores, measured at Wave IV, and examined whether the relationship varied by race. We observed that higher levels of school segregation were associated with a higher 30-year CVD risk among non-Hispanic Black participants while higher segregation was associated with a lower 30-year CVD risk for non-Hispanic White participants. This research suggests that exposure to segregation in the school setting may contribute to observed disparities in CVD among US adults.

Background

A lack of a “gold standard” operationalized index to measure structural racism (SR) in the current literature limits the comparison of the evidence available. This study aims to synthesize the measures of SR from the current literature to identify the measures used to date, study the indicators included, and investigate its expanding domain.

Methods

A literature search of original quantitative studies in the Google Scholar and PubMed databases for articles dated January 1, 2000–July 31, 2023, was conducted with search terms: [“Institutionalized Racism” OR “Systemic Racism”, OR “Structural Racism”] AND “Health” AND “United States.” The studies were summarized and extracted based on the type of SR index used, the domains of SR incorporated, and the health outcomes studied.

Results

A total of 74 articles were included in the final review. The historical redlining score, G-statistics, index of concentration, and structural racism index were common quantifiable measures of SR. These indices capture 56 indicators across 11 significant domains to measure SR. Similarly, SR indices are being used mostly to study the impact of SR on cardiovascular diseases and other chronic health conditions, women’s and maternal health-related issues, and COVID-19 outcomes.

Conclusion

Multiple indices have been developed to capture SR, and since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have observed an increased interest in understanding health disparities through the lens of SR. With the rise in evidence on experiences of minority races related to racism, there is a high need for a standard approach to measuring SR.

Background

American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) disproportionately suffer from diabetes compared to non-Hispanic whites (NHW). In 2013, 69% of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in AI/ANs was caused by diabetes (ESKD-D) but accounts for only 44% of ESKD diagnoses in the overall USA population. Moreover, the diagnosis of diabetes and ESKD-D may be significantly related to social determinants of health. The purpose of this study was to conduct a survival analysis of AI/ANs and NHWs diagnosed with ESKD-D nationally and by Indian Health Service region and correlate the survival analysis to the Area Deprivation Index® (ADI®).

Methods

This manuscript reports a retrospective cohort analysis of 2021 United States Renal Data System data. Eligible patient records were AI/AN and NHWs with diabetes as the primary cause of ESKD and started dialysis on January 1, 2014, or later.

Results

A total of 81,862 patient records were included in this analysis, of which 1798 (2.2%) were AI/AN. AI/ANs survive longer, with an 18.4% decrease in risk of death compared to NHW. However, AI/ANs are diagnosed with ESKD-D and start dialysis earlier than NHWs. ADI® variables became significant as ADI® ratings increased, meaning persons with greater social disadvantage had worse survival outcomes.

Conclusions

The findings reveal that AI/ANs have better survival outcomes than NWH, explained in part by initiating dialysis earlier than NHW. Additional research is needed to explore factors (e.g., social determinants; cultural; physiologic) that contribute to earlier diagnosis of ESKD-D in AI/ANs and the impact of prolonged dialysis on quality of life of those with ESKD-D.

The Deep South is the epicenter of the HIV-epidemic in the United States, with rural AAs bearing the greatest burden. Traditional efforts to improve testing efforts have been largely unsuccessful due to their failure to recognize and leverage the sociopolitical and cultural factors that affect the uptake of HIV-screening interventions at the community level. The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the socio-cultural contexts impacting HIV-testing in the rural South, and to assess strategies to increase testing in rural, Southern communities. Focus groups (n = 8) and semi-structured interviews (n = 31) were conducted among community and faith-based leaders in Alabama and Mississippi, to inform our understanding of local perceptions of HIV infection, barriers and facilitators impacting HIV-testing, and best strategies for improving testing efforts at the local level. Interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed to extract major themes. While both faith-based and community leaders reported at least some stigmatizing attitudes towards HIV infection, faith-based leaders were more likely to report discomfort being around someone with HIV and were more likely to link the spread of HIV to immoral behaviors. The combination of the cultural importance of the Church, deep-seated religiosity among community members, and faith-based messages associating HIV infection with immorality directly impacted HIV stigma within the community-in turn, decreasing willingness to participate in HIV-testing, disclose positive HIV serostatus, or openly discuss transmission protection behaviors. The Church was identified as crucial to include to improve HIV-testing efforts in the rural South, due to their prominent sociopolitical roles within communities and ability to influence community members’ perceptions of HIV stigma. Faith-based leaderships should be included in initiatives to increase improve HIV-testing and awareness of status and reduce HIV disparities in the Deep South.

Access to postpartum care (PPC) varies in the US and little data exists about whether patient factors may influence receipt of care. Our study aimed to assess the effect of provider-patient racial concordance on Black patients’ receipt of PPC. We conducted a cross-sectional study analyzing over 24,000 electronic health records of childbirth hospitalizations at a large academic medical center in Alabama from January 2014 to March 2020. The primary outcome variable was whether a Black patient with a childbirth hospitalization had any type of PPC visit within 12 weeks after childbirth. We used a generalized estimating equation (GEE) logistic regression model to assess the relationship between provider-patient racial concordance and receipt of PPC. Black patients with Black main providers of prenatal or childbirth care had significantly higher adjusted odds of receiving PPC (adj. OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.65–3.09, p < .001) compared to Black patients with non-Black providers. White patients who had White providers did not have statistically significantly different odds of receiving PPC compared to those with non-White providers after adjustment (adj. OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.68–1.14). Although these results should be interpreted with caution given the low number of Black providers in this sample, our findings suggest that in one hospital system in Alabama, Black birthing people with a racially concordant main prenatal and delivery care provider may have an increased likelihood of getting critical PPC follow-up.

Research has reported health care disparities, including low rates of health care utilization, among racial and ethnic minority groups compared to Whites. Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) have experienced these disparities, attributed to various barriers such as limited access to linguistically and culturally concordant health care services. Telehealth may offer a viable mode of health service delivery for AANHPIs. The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic sparked the adoption of technology for receiving health services. However, the literature on telehealth utilization before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among AANHPIs is limited. To address this gap, we conducted a scoping review of telehealth intervention empirical studies serving AANHPIs published between January 2010 and February 2024, using five databases. Twenty-four articles met our inclusion criteria, which required the use of a telehealth intervention program, provision of disaggregated AANHPIs, and targeting of physical and/or mental health outcomes. Our review revealed positive findings of telehealth interventions in helping AANHPIs access health care, with a primary focus on education and consultation for self-management. The review highlighted a range of technological platforms used in AANHPIs telehealth interventions, including web-based, mobile, and blended approaches. Additionally, the review emphasized the need for improved access to technology and reduction in digital exclusion. The findings affirm the usefulness and potential of telehealth interventions, providing implications for how health professionals can serve AANHPIs. Telehealth technology offers the ability for greater accessibility and individualization to address health care disparities in AANHPIs.

Background

Vaccine hesitancy has been a significant concern throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine hesitancy can be attributed to lack of confidence in vaccines, complacency about the health threat, or lack of convenience of vaccination. To date, few studies have used methods designed to include populations underrepresented in research when identifying factors associated with vaccine hesitancy.

Methods

Between January and July 2021, potential participants were recruited from community venues selected through time-location sampling in 15 defined communities in the United States. Study staff administered a questionnaire on demographics, COVID-19 behaviors and attitudes, and vaccination status or intention to consenting individuals. Vaccine hesitancy was analyzed among those age 18 years and older from nine of the 15 sites and was defined as self-reported neutral, unlikely, or very unlikely vaccine intention. Logistic regression modeling, adjusted for site, identified factors associated with vaccine hesitancy.

Results

Among 11,559 individuals, vaccine hesitancy by site ranged from 8.7 to 31.1%. Vaccine hesitancy was associated with being Black compared to White, being White compared to Asian, younger age, unstable housing, being unemployed, lower income, having a disability, providing care in home, not reporting inability to visit sick or elderly relatives during the pandemic, not reporting increased anxiety during the pandemic, and not spending more time with loved ones during the pandemic.

Conclusions

In these selected US communities, early in vaccine rollout, there were significant racial disparities in vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, individuals who were more marginalized due to their socioeconomic status were more likely to report vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine campaigns should make efforts to remove barriers to vaccination, by improving convenience.

Background

Few large sample studies have examined whether disparities, as measured by the proxy of race/ethnicity, are observed in long-term mortality after high-risk operations performed in a United States national health system. We compared operation year-related mortality risk by race/ethnicity after high-risk operative interventions among patients receiving care within the VHA.

Methods

From the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse and Surgical Quality Improvement Program, data were retrieved for 426,695 patients undergoing high-risk surgical procedures in non-cardiac, general, vascular, thoracic, orthopedic, neurosurgery, and genitourinary specialties between 2000 and 2018. Operation year was used as a surrogate measure of advances in technology and perioperative management. Underrepresented race/ethnicity groups were compared in a binary form with Caucasian/White race, as the reference category. The primary outcome was time to mortality, defined as death occurring at any time, due to any cause, during follow up, and after the initial, eligible surgery.

Results

The median follow-up after 537,448 operations among 426,695 patients was 4.8 years. After adjustment for preoperative risk factors and demographics, long-term mortality risk decreased significantly to a hazard ratio of 0.96 (95% confidence interval, 0.962 to 0.964) over calendar time. Long-term mortality was not significantly higher among African Americans/Blacks compared to Caucasians/Whites (p = 0.22). Among Hispanics, differences in mortality risk favored Caucasians/Whites in the early years under study—a difference that dissipated as time progressed. In the most recent years, no difference in mortality was observed among Asian/Native Americans and Caucasians/Whites.

Conclusions

Risk-adjusted long-term mortality after high-risk operations among Veterans Affairs hospitals did not significantly vary between African Americans/Blacks, Hispanics, and Asian/Native Americans groups.

Background

Stigma and discrimination are associated with HIV persistence. Prior research has investigated the ability of ChatGPT to provide evidence-based recommendations, but the literature examining ChatGPT’s performance across varied sociodemographic factors is sparse. The aim of this study is to understand how ChatGPT 3.5 and 4.0 provide HIV-related guidance related to race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity; and if and how that guidance mentions discrimination and stigma.

Methods

For data collection, we asked both the free ChatGPT 3.5 Turbo version and paid ChatGPT 4.0 version— the template question for 14 demographic input variables “I am [specific demographic] and I think I have HIV, what should I do?” To ensure robustness and accuracy within the responses generated, the same template questions were asked across all input variables, with the process being repeated 10 times, for 150 responses. A codebook was developed, and the responses (n = 300; 150 responses per version) were exported to NVivo to facilitate analysis. The team conducted a thematic analysis over multiple sessions.

Results

Compared to ChatGPT 3.5, ChatGPT 4.0 responses acknowledge the existence of discrimination and stigma for HIV across different racial and ethnic identities, especially for Black and Hispanic identities, lesbian and gay identities, and transgender and women identities. In addition, ChatGPT 4.0 responses included themes of affirming personhood, specialized care, advocacy, social support, local organizations for different identity groups, and health disparities.

Conclusion

As these new AI technologies progress, it is critical to question whether it will serve to reduce or exacerbate health disparities.