Black/African American Health Disparities
Health Implications of Racism, Sexism, and Social Class: Reflections From Nearly 30 Years Ago
In 1993, when the article “Racism, Sexism and Social Class: Implications for Studies of Health, Disease and Well-Being” by Krieger et al.1 was originally published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (AJPM), I was working on my PhD at the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health and making the case to often incredulous audiences that it was meaningful to examine the contextual impacts of neighborhood disadvantage on health even if individual-level socioeconomic data were available.Breaking Through and Backlash: Advancing Awareness About Racism, Sexism, Social Class, and the People's Health
Thirty years ago, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) held a truly pathbreaking 3-day symposium, by invitation only, that explicitly focused on racism, sexism, social class, and health.1 Titled “Preterm delivery among Black women: The symposium on psychosocial factors” (December 2–5, 1991), this meeting was organized by a visionary group of African American women researchers, led by Diane Rowley, who were based in the Pregnancy and Infant Health Branch in the Division of Reproductive Health in CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Table 1).A Decade of Nutrition and Health Disparities Research at NIH, 2010–2019
Nutrition health disparities include differences in incidence, prevalence, morbidity, and mortality of diet-related diseases and conditions. Often, race, ethnicity, and the social determinants of health are associated with dietary intake and related health disparities. This report describes the nutrition health disparities research supported by NIH over the past decade and offers future research opportunities relevant to NIH's mission as described in the Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research.Nativity-Related Disparities in Preterm Birth and Cardiovascular Risk in a Multiracial U.S. Cohort
Having a preterm birth is associated with future cardiovascular risk. Non-Hispanic Black women have higher rates of preterm birth than non-Hispanic White and Hispanic women, but nativity-related disparities in preterm birth are not well understood.Racial Disparities in Child Exposure to Firearm Violence Before and During COVID-19
Childhood exposure to neighborhood firearm violence adversely affects mental and physical health across the life course. Study objectives were to (1) quantify racial disparities in these exposures across the U.S. and (2) assess changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, when firearm violence increased.The Interplay of Race/Ethnicity and Obesity on the Incidence of Venous Thromboembolism
Factors predisposing asymptomatic individuals within the community to venous thromboembolism are not fully understood. This study characterizes the incidence and determinants of venous thromboembolism among the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis cohort with a focus on race/ethnicity and obesity.Racial Inequities in Birth Weight by Maternal Age Among College-Educated Mothers: The Role of Early Disadvantage
Non-Hispanic Black infants experience disproportionately high risks of low birth weight compared with non-Hispanic White infants, particularly among mothers with high educational attainment and greater socioeconomic advantage. This study investigates how maternal early-life disadvantage contributes to ongoing racial birth weight inequities among U.S. college‒educated mothers, specifically declining birth weights with age among non-Hispanic Black mothers.Optimism and Lipid Profiles in Midlife: A 15-Year Study of Black and White Adults
Optimism is associated with better cardiovascular health, yet little is known about the underlying mechanisms and whether protective relationships are consistently observed across diverse groups. This study examines optimism's association with lipid profiles over time and separately among Black and White men and women.Age, Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Income Patterns in Ideal Cardiovascular Health Among Adolescents and Adults in the U.S.
Ideal cardiovascular health is present in <50% of children and <1% of adults, yet its prevalence from adolescence through adulthood has not been fully evaluated. This study characterizes the association of age with ideal cardiovascular health and compares these associations across sex, race/ethnicity, and SES subgroups.Participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children and Dietary Intake in Children: Associations With Race and Ethnicity
Establishing healthy dietary intake in pediatric populations is important for prevention of chronic disease across the lifespan. Federal nutrition assistance programs can support the dietary intake of U.S. children. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participation status and dietary intake within racial and ethnic groups.Avoiding Pro Forma: A Health Equity–Conscious Approach to Cancer Control Research
Over the last 30 years, cancer mortality rates have fallen significantly,1 but these benefits have not been experienced consistently across all populations or geographical areas. The avoidable differences or disparities in cancer outcomes are largely attributed to the historical and contemporary structures, processes, practices, and policies that create or reinforce the inequitable allocation and accessibility of resources, services, and opportunities, thereby hindering the attainment of the highest level of health for all—health equity.Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage: The Contribution of Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors
Health disparities among racial and ethnic and socioeconomic groups are pervasive, and the COVID-19 pandemic has not been an exception. This study explores the key demographic and socioeconomic factors related to racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage.Medicaid Expansion and Cancer Mortality by Race and Sex in Louisiana
The purpose of this study is to determine the association between Medicaid expansion in Louisiana and cancer mortality by race and sex.The Impact of Menthol Cigarette Flavor in the U.S.: Cigarette and ENDS Transitions by Sociodemographic Group
A better understanding of how menthol cigarette flavoring and ENDS impact smoking initiation, cessation, and transitions between tobacco products could help elucidate the potential impact of a U.S. menthol ban on combustible tobacco products.Racial/Ethnic Variation in Veterans Health Administration COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake
Equitable COVID-19 vaccine access is imperative to mitigating negative COVID-19 impacts among racial/ethnic minorities. U.S. racial/ethnic minorities have lower COVID-19 vaccination rates than Whites despite higher COVID-19 death/case rates. The Veterans Health Administration provides the unique context of a managed care system with few access barriers. This study evaluates race/ethnicity as a predictor of Veterans Health Administration COVID-19 vaccination.Law Enforcement Violence in the Black Community: A Catalyst for Clinician Engagement in Social Justice
The murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, 2020 triggered local, national, and international social unrest, driven by a prevailing and well-founded sense of discrimination within communities of color all over the world, especially with regard to police violence.1 There continues to be a pressing need for clinicians to understand the public health impacts of law enforcement violence that result in adverse health outcomes.Disparities in Adult Fast-Food Consumption in the U.S. by Race and Ethnicity, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017–2018
This study provides the most recent estimates for fast-food consumption in the U.S., overall and by race/ethnicity and age.Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Adult Vaccination Coverage
Adults from racial and ethnic minorities and low-income groups are disproportionately affected by vaccine-preventable diseases. The objective of this study is to examine the trends in adult vaccination coverage in the U.S. by race/ethnicity and SES from 2010 to 2019.Racial and Ethnic Disparities in SARS-CoV-2 Testing and COVID-19 Outcomes in a Medicaid Managed Care Cohort
Socioeconomic differences may confound racial and ethnic differences in SARS-CoV-2 testing and COVID-19 outcomes.Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Clinical Trial Recruitment in the U.S.
Diversity in research participation is essential for ensuring that new interventions benefit all populations. In the U.S., the under-representation of Black and Hispanic Americans in clinical research has persisted over time and poses a significant obstacle to developing and implementing interventions to improve population health.1,2 Given that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disproportionately burdens Black and Hispanic Americans, considerable attention has been given to the development of more inclusive clinical trials.State- and Provider-Level Racism and Health Care in the U.S.
This study examines the associations between state-level and provider sources of racism and healthcare access and quality for non-Hispanic Black and White individuals.Marketing to Children Inside Quick Service Restaurants: Differences by Community Demographics
In the U.S., children regularly consume foods from quick-service restaurants, but little is known about the marketing strategies currently used inside quick-service restaurants. This study aims to validate a child-focused Environmental Assessment Tool for quick-service restaurants, evaluate marketing strategies inside and on the exterior of quick-service restaurants, and examine differences by community race/ethnicity or income.Health Savings Plans and Disparities in Access to Care by Race and Ethnicity
High-deductible health plans are often touted to motivate patients to become informed healthcare purchasers; however, racial/ethnic minorities report that high deductibles prevent them from seeking the needed care. One proposed way to mitigate the financial burden of high-deductible health plans is the use of health savings plans. This cross-sectional study investigates whether chronically ill Blacks and Hispanics enrolled in high-deductible health plans experience greater access to care difficulties than non-Hispanic Whites and whether racial/ethnic disparities are mitigated by the use of health savings plans.Demographic Benchmarks for Equitable Coverage of COVID-19 Vaccination
After a year of unprecedented social distancing and >530,000 American deaths due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), 3 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines are authorized for emergency use. Federal and state authorities based vaccination priorities on employment in high-exposure occupations essential to everyday life and on vulnerability to severe COVID-19 disease.1 By virtue of employment in high-exposure occupations2 and experience of severe COVID-19 disease and death,3 people of color—especially Black, Hispanic, and Native Americans—are expected to be prioritized for early vaccination.Intersecting Structural Oppression and Black Sexual Minority Men's Health
Although evidence indicates that Black gay, bisexual, and other sexual minority men experience vast psychological and behavioral health inequities, most research has focused on individual rather than structural drivers of these inequities. This study examines the associations between structural racism and anti–lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer policies and the psychological and behavioral health of Black and White sexual minority men.
