Feature Channels: Health Disparities

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Ochsner Health, a leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, has been selected by the Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program (GP2) as one of six new study sites for the Black and African American Connections to Parkinson’s Disease study.

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Females may begin to recover twice as fast as males when it comes to muscle injuries, according to a new study in mice. The findings support the idea of forming individualized treatment plans based on a person’s biological sex. The research will be presented at the 2024 Integrative Physiology of Exercise conference, Nov. 20–22, in State College, Pennsylvania.

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For people seeing a neurologist, their age, race, ethnicity and neighborhood may play a role in whether they do so in person or virtually, via telemedicine, according to a study published in the November 20, 2024, online issue of Neurology® Clinical Practice , an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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In a new analysis of national data, researchers at the Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Center for Outcomes Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) estimated that 137 million U.S. adults, more than half of all adults, are eligible for semagludtide for weight loss, diabetes management, or prevention of recurrent cardiovascular events.

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People with chronic liver disease can be categorized into four distinct risk groups based on the different barriers they face in obtaining outpatient care, barriers that increase their odds of requiring hospitalization.

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Doctors have long known that lead exposure during pregnancy poses significant health risks for both mothers and newborns, but universal screening is not mandated in New Jersey or nationwide. In 2019, a pioneering program launched by Rutgers Health with support by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention introduced lead and heavy-metal screening at University Hospital in Newark, N.J., the main teaching hospital for Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), to detect and address exposure early.

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Leaders of the new Rutgers School of Medicine (RSOM) have released a new mission, vision and values statement that underscores an emphasis on advancing health equity.

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The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) announced 30 recipients of the 2025 AAOS IDEA Grant Program®, which aims to reduce existing disparities in orthopaedics and foster visible and measurable change in the field. The recipients were selected based on the merits of their initiatives to reduce bias and discriminatory practices or advance diversity, equity, and/or inclusion (DEI) within the orthopaedic specialty. Since its launch in 2022, the AAOS IDEA Grant Program has helped fund nearly 75 programs across the country, contributing over $900,000 to date.

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Studying ancient skeletons can help create specific health measures for different populations in the past, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at James Madison University and published in the journal Science Advances.

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Debate continues to swirl nationally on the fate of a practice born of an 86-year-old federal statute allowing companies to pay workers with disabilities subminimum wages: anything below the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, but for some roles as little as 25-cents-per-hour. Those in favor of repealing this statute highlight assumptions about reduced productivity along with the unfairness of this wage level—often used elsewhere to pay, for example, food service workers who typically make additional wages in tips. Those against repeal have voiced concerns that, without subminimum wage laws, employment opportunities for workers with disabilities may dwindle.

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According to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, the Foster School of Medicine has been ranked among the top 100 best medical schools in the nation for primary care and rural practice, further solidifying its role in addressing the critical health care needs of underserved communities.

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A new blood test developed at The Ohio State University College of Nursing – in collaboration with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center – is the first of its kind to potentially predict the risk for preterm birth in early pregnancy, one of the leading causes of childhood death worldwide.

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Variation in the Measurement of Sexual Orientations is Associated with Sexual Orientation-related Mental Health Disparities

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Supporting a loved one as they near the end of their life can be confronting. Palliative care is there to help but such services are not equally accessible to all Australians, particularly those in rural areas.

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In a nationwide observational study published this month in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), cardiologists from the Smith Center for Outcomes Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) were commissioned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to examine trends in the use and long-term safety of a device widely used to treat pulmonary embolism, or blood clots in the lungs.

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Continuing education of non-specialists is crucial for improving and enhancing epilepsy diagnosis and treatment. Many countries lack enough specialists to care for people with epilepsy. Even in high-income countries, a significant percentage of people with epilepsy receive care from a non-specialist.

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A new report, released by the Center for Health Workforce Studies at the University at Albany’s College of Integrated Health Sciences, indicates that improving access to oral health services in New York State requires a broader understanding of oral health needs and the challenges that underserved populations face.