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Results for search "Health Care Access / Disparities".

Health News Results - 293

Report Finds Big Disparities in Americans' Well-Being by Region

Americans’ well-being varies widely between different regions of the nation, a new study reports.

People in the southern U.S., Appalachia and the Rust Belt states score lowest on the Human Development Index (HDI), a composite measure that includes a population’s life expectancy, education and income, researchers report in

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • November 11, 2024
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  • Full Page
  • Black, Hispanic Doctors See Much Larger Proportion of Medicaid Patients

    Latino and Black family doctors are more likely to hang their shingle in their old neighborhood and care for the less fortunate, researchers report.

    The new findings, which also showed these doctors were more likely to take on Medicaid patients than white or Asian doctors, support previous studies that show minority doctors are more likely to return to communities of color and set up a pr...

    Black Women Face Higher Death Risk From All Types of Breast Cancer

    Black women have a higher risk of dying from any type of breast cancer than white women, a new review finds.

    Overall, the increased survival risk for Black women ranges from 17% to 50%, depending on the type of breast cancer, researchers found.

    For ex...

    Need a Good Medicare Advantage Plan? They're Tough to Find for Poorer Americans

    Medicare Advantage plans are touted as a great alternative to traditional Medicare, offering seniors easier access to doctors, hospitals and prescription drugs.

    But access to a good Medicare Advantage plan relies heavily on where a person lives, a new study finds.

    People are less likely to find a five-star Medicare Advantage plan if they live in a U.S. county with higher poverty and...

    Better Screening Key to Closing U.S. 'Race Gap' in Colon Cancer Deaths

    Black Americans are almost a third more likely to die from colon cancer than their white peers, and one key to closing that divide could be better cancer screening, a new report finds.

    That means getting Black Americans quality colonoscopies and other forms of screening, but also making sure they're...

    Research Confirms Chronic High Blood Pressure's Link to Stroke

    Having high blood pressure in adulthood greatly raises the odds for multiple types of stroke, a new study confirms.

    “Our results suggest that early diagnosis and sustained control of high blood pressure over the lifespan are critical to preventing stroke, ischemic stroke a...

    Could Living in Poor Neighborhoods Fuel Prostate Cancer in Black Men? Study Says It Might

    The stress of living in a poor neighborhood might contribute to higher rates of aggressive prostate cancer in Black men, a new study warns.

    Black men are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than white men, and more likely to develop it as well, the researchers no...

    Black Patients Diagnosed With Huntington's Later Than Whites

    Black patients with Huntington's disease receive their diagnoses an average of one year later than white people with the incurable genetic disorder, a new study shows.

    Early diagnosis is essential to help patients get proper care and prepare for the effects of the disease, lead researcher Dr. Adys Mendizabal, a UCLA Health...

    American Indian/Alaska Native Breast Cancer Patients Less Likely to Get Reconstruction

    After a mastectomy, some women are less likely than others to have breast reconstruction surgery.

    Rates of the surgery are consistently lower among American Indian and Alaskan native women than among non-Hispanic white women, according to a new study that pointed to age, stage of cancer and insura...

    Why Are Brain Tumors More Deadly for Kids in Poorer Neighborhoods?

    U.S. children with inoperable brain tumors appear to die sooner and find it harder to get care if they live in poorer neighborhoods, a new study finds.

    Children from higher-income areas had more than double the average survival time than kids from poorer neighborhoods -- 480 days versus 235 days, depending if a census tract had an average household income higher or lower than $50,000.

    ...

    Black, Hispanic Americans More Likely to Be Dropped From Medicaid

    Following the end of temporary pandemic-era rules expanding access to Medicaid, about 10 million Americans have lost that coverage.

    But a new report finds that most folks who've lost coverage have done so because of paperwork issues, and they're far more likely to be people of color.

    "A lot of people got kicked off Medicaid for administrative reasons,"said senior study author

    Cancer Patients Get Poorer Care at Hospitals Serving Minority Communities

    Cancer patients receive less effective treatment at hospitals that mainly serve minority communities, a new study shows.

    More than 9% of cancer patients are treated at hospitals where a significant percentage of patients are from minority groups, researchers say.

    Those patients are less lik...

    Deadly GallBladder Cancers Rising Among Black Americans

    Gallbladder cancer rates are steadily increasing among Black Americans, even as they remain stable or decline for most other Americans, a new study warns.

    Further, growing numbers of cases among Black people are not being diagnosed until later stages, according to the f...

    Brain Decline, Dementia Common Among Older American Indians

    Higher rates of blood vessel-damaging conditions like hypertension or diabetes may be driving up rates of cognitive decline and dementia among older American Indians, new research shows.

    The study found that 54% of American Indians ages 72 to 95 had some form of impairment in their thinking and/or memory skills, while 10% had dementia.

    The underlying causes: Vascular (blood vessel)...

    Report Highlights Big Gaps in Cancer Outcomes Based on Race

    U.S. cancer death rates are continuing to drop, falling by 33% between 1991 and 2020.

    However, not all Americans are reaping the benefits from advances in cancer prevention, early detection and treatment, a new report from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) shows.

    Race, location and sexuality all play a role in cancer disparities across the United States, according ...

    Melanoma Can Strike Black Americans, Often With Deadlier Results

    Melanoma, while rare among Black Americans, is often detected later with devastating consequences, a new study finds.

    Black people are frequently diagnosed with melanoma at later stages, increasing their risk of death compared to fairer-skinned patients, researchers found.

    Advanced stage 3 mela...

    Americans of Pacific Island Ethnicity Have Up to Triple the Rate of Cancer Deaths

    Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander people have cancer death rates that are two to three times higher than they are in whites, new data shows.

    The first-of-its-kind report, issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS) on May 1, focuses solely on the cancer risk of Americans who've descended from regions along the Pacific Rim, the ACS said.

    Cancer is the second-leading cause of...

    Better Health Care Access Is Helping People With Down Syndrome Live Longer

    Americans with Down syndrome have a critical lifeline in Medicaid insurance, new research confirms.

    But the publicly funded insurance program will have to respond to rising numbers of older adults with Down syndrome, researchers say.

    "As more people with Down syndrome survive to older ages, the Medicaid system needs to be ready to serve this population with tailored, sensitive, and ...

    Dementia Diagnosis Takes Huge Toll on a Family's Finances

    Dementia can take a big bite out of an American's bank account, robbing 60% of a patient's net worth in the eight years after a diagnosis, a new study says.

    The average dementia patient will also see a doubling of out-of-pocket health care expenses in those first eight years, said researchers who studied thousands of seniors with and without the brain disorder.

    "We found a prof...

    Non-White Kids With Recurrent Ear Infections Less Likely to Get Specialist Care

    Which U.S. kids see specialists for ear infections and have tubes placed to drain fluid and improve air flow differs significantly by race.

    Asian, Hispanic and Black children are much less likely than white kids to see ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors, new research shows.

    "For the first time, our study found there are significant differences in the rate of ENT office visits for ch...

    Biden Administration Moves to Boost Health Care to the Homeless

    A new rule allows health care providers to be reimbursed for treating homeless people wherever they are, rather than just in hospitals or clinics.

    The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began al...

    Rite Aid Pharmacy Chain Files for Bankruptcy

    The drugstore chain Rite Aid has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, due largely to competition and thousands of lawsuits for its role in allegedly filling unlawful opioid prescriptions.

    The company filed a notice Thursday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission saying it would not be able to file its latest quarterly financial report before filing for bankruptcy on Sunday, CNN<...

    Black Patients 42% More Likely to Die After High-Risk Surgery Than White Patients

    High-risk surgeries are more deadly for Black and Hispanic Americans than for their white counterparts, new research reveals.

    The study, of more than 1 million procedures performed in U.S. hospitals between 2000 and 2020, found that Black patients were 42% more likely than white patients to die within 30 days of surgery. That risk was 21% higher among Hispanic patients.

    Had those di...

    Kaiser Permanente Reaches Tentative Deal With 75,000 Health Care Workers

    A tentative deal has been reached between Kaiser Permanente and its 75,000 health care workers following a three-day strike last week.

    "The frontline health care workers of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions are excited to have reached a tentative agreement with Kaiser Permanente," union officials pos...

    When Health Care Access Is Equal, Race Gap in Prostate Cancer Survival Vanishes

    Men of all races and ethnic groups who have prostate cancer fare equally well when access to care is identical, a new study finds.

    The disparity in outcomes from prostate cancer between Black, Hispanic and white men disappears when treatment and care are the same, as it is in U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VA) hospitals. In fact, Black and Hispanic men, on average fared better than...

    Over 75,000 Kaiser Permanente Union Workers Go on Strike

    Health care workers who serve millions of Americans began a three-day strike on Wednesday after contract negotiations over staffing levels stalled.

    More than 75,000 members of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions began walking off their jobs as early as 6 a.m. in Virginia and Washington, D.C., the Washington Post reported. The union, whose contract expired Saturday, represen...

    Over 75,000 Kaiser Permanente Union Workers Could Strike on Wednesday

    Health care workers who serve millions of Americans could strike Wednesday if Kaiser Permanente and union workers don't reach an agreement.

    More than 75,000 members of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions are poised to strike, CNBC reported. The union, whose contract expired Saturday, represents medical assistants, surgical and lab technicians and pharmacists, among other st...

    Biden Administration Says Insurance Issues With COVID Shots Mostly Fixed

    Despite reports of trouble last week where some people may have been denied insurance coverage while seeking COVID shots at pharmacies, the Biden administration said Thursday those issues have been ironed out.

    That issue is "largely, if not completely," resolved after U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Secretary

    Childbirth Can Leave New Parents in Serious Medical Debt

    New parents bringing home their bundle of joy often carry something else with them as they leave the hospital: medical debt.

    That's according to new research from Michigan Medicine that found postpartum women are more likely to have medical debt than those who are pregnant.

    The researchers studied this by evaluating collections among a statewide, commercially insured cohort of more ...

    Stigma, Even Harm Common When Transgender People Meet With Doctors

    Transgender people have a tough time receiving adequate medical care due to issues like voyeurism, being treated as abnormal and even being denied care due to their gender identity, a new study finds.

    "I would say what I read was not surprising at all, based on things I have heard from trans members,"said

    In Mississippi, a Huge Jump in Cases of Babies Born With Syphilis

    The United States is experiencing an alarming wave of congenital syphilis, and one southern state saw a 1,000% rise in babies born with the infection between 2016 and 2022.

    The number of babies born with the infection in Mississippi rose from 10 in 2016 to 110 in 2022. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection. Congenital syphilis occurs when an infected mother passes the dis...

    Helping Undocumented Immigrants Find a Primary Care Doc Lowers ER Costs: Study

    Helping undocumented immigrants in the United States connect with primary care doctors could be a money-saver, substantially reducing emergency department use and lowering health costs, a new study finds.

    The findings are from a New York City program that helped arrange medical appointments from May 2016 to June 2017 for undocumented immigrants with limited incomes.

    The data showed ...

    Few Doctors, Spotty Internet: Finding Mental Health Care Tough for Many Americans

    Nearly one in five counties across the United States lack psychiatrists or internet service, making it difficult for around 10.5 million Americans to find mental health care, a new study shows.

    The counties examined in the study were more likely to be in rural areas, have higher unemployment rates, and have populations that were more likely to be uninsured and lack a bachelor's degree. W...

    In Public Spaces, Women Less Likely to Get CPR If Cardiac Arrest Strikes

    CPR could save your life if you suffer cardiac arrest in a public place, but you're less likely to receive it if you're a woman, a new study finds.

    The findings were presented Monday at the European Emergency Medicine Congress, in Barcelona.

    "In an emergency when someone is unconscious and not breathing properly, in addition to calling an ambulance, bystanders should give CPR. This ...

    Most Folks Who Need Colon Cancer Screening Aren't Reminded by Doctors

    Many Americans are behind on recommended colon cancer screenings -- and their doctors often fail to remind them, a new study suggests.

    The study, by the American Cancer Society, focused on a nationwide sample of more 5,000 Americans who were overdue for colon cancer screening. All had been to a routine checkup in the past year, but only about one-quarter said their provider had advised th...

    Cancer Care Tougher to Access in U.S. If English Second Language

    Much has been made of how a lack of English proficiency can interfere with a patient's ability to interact with their doctor and get the best health care possible.

    But language barriers can prevent cancer patients from even getting in the door for a first visit with a specialist, a new study reports.

    English speakers calling a general information line at U.S. hospitals succeeded nea...

    U.S. Heart Deaths Linked to Obesity Have Tripled in 20 Years

    Obesity taxes many parts of the body, but new research suggests the heart might take the hardest hit of all.

    Between 1999 and 2020, deaths from heart disease linked to obesity tripled in the United States, and some groups were more vulnerable than others.

    Specifically, Black adults had some of the highest rates of obesity-related heart disease deaths, with the highest percentag...

    Telehealth Services Can Help Women Access, Understand Medical Abortion

    Even before Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, many U.S. women lived far from a clinic where they could get abortion pills. Now, a new study suggests that telemedicine can help fill that gap.

    The study focused on one reproductive health clinic in Washington state, where abortion was legal at the time of the study and remains so. But even in states where abortion is available, ex...

    Too Much Paperwork Is Delaying Cancer Patients' Care, Study Finds

    Red tape is getting in the way of cancer patients receiving the treatment they crucially require, a new study has found.

    Patients were 18% more likely to experience cancer care delays or be unable to stick to a treatment plan if they had to fill out a lot of paperwork, compared to patients who faced less red tape, the researchers found.

    Results also showed that the more paperwork a ...

    When Parent Is in Prison, Kids' Heart Risks Rise

    Along with having to deal with the social stigma of having a parent who is incarcerated, young adults in that situation may be more likely to develop signs of heart trouble, a new study finds.

    The health impacts of having a parent who spent time in jail have been understudied, the researchers noted.

    "There was very little data on its association with cardiovascular risks,"said lead ...

    Segregation Has Close Ties With Lead Poisoning in Black American Kids

    Young Black children living in racially segregated U.S. neighborhoods are at heightened risk of potentially brain-damaging lead exposure, a new study warns.

    The study, of nearly 321,000 North Carolina children under the age of 7, found that those living in predominantly Black neighborhoods had higher blood levels of lead than those living in more integrated areas.

    Experts said the f...

    Heart, Diabetes, Cancer Drugs on List for Medicare Price Negotiations, White House Says

    The Biden administration on Tuesday named the first 10 medicines that will be subject to price negotiations between Medicare and participating drug companies.

    The list represents the first step in a landmark program aimed at reducing the government's drug spending, and potentially U.S. drug prices in general. However, six major drug companies are already challenging the program in court.<...

    1 in 5 U.S. Women Say They've Been Mistreated During Maternity Care

    From receiving no response to cries for help to being verbally abused, 1 in 5 U.S. mothers say they were mistreated by a health care professional during pregnancy and delivery.

    Rates of mistreatment during maternity care were higher among Black, Hispanic and multiracial women, according to a survey of more than 2,400 new moms published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventio...

    Race, Income Big Factors in Deaths After U.S. Hurricanes

    Death rates skyrocket during extreme weather events among the most vulnerable Americans, especially those from minority groups.

    A study looking at hurricanes over more than three decades showed that their impacts varied and were driven by differences in social, economic and demographic factors such as race.

    "Really, we wanted to understand what the comparative impact was over time ...

    Just 1 in 5 Americans Struggling With Opioid Misuse Gets Meds That Can Help

    The U.S. opioid abuse epidemic wages on, and overdose deaths continue to rise, yet just 1 in 5 people receives potentially lifesaving medication such as methadone, buprenorphine or naltrexone to treat their addiction, a new study finds.

    "These medications are effective for prescription opioids like hydrocodone [Vicodin] and oxycodone [OxyContin] and all those medications we rely on for pa...

    When Cancer Strikes Twice, Black Americans Face Higher Death Rates

    Black Americans diagnosed with a second primary cancer after their first one are more likely to die than their white peers.

    That's the takeaway from a new study by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

    Specifically, it found that these Black patient...

    Memory Troubles? Your Race Could Affect How Soon You Get Diagnosis, Treatment

    Black Americans are less likely to be seen at a memory clinic than their white peers. So too are folks from neighborhoods that are poor and lack educational and job opportunities, according to a new study.

    That could mean later diagnosis and treatment for dementias like Alzheimer's disease.

    The research, published online Aug. 2 in Neurology, involved data from more than 4...

    Maternity Care 'Deserts' Common Throughout America, Report Finds

    More U.S. women are living in areas with little or no maternity care, raising concern about their ability to have a healthy pregnancy and birth.

    New research from the March of Dimes shows a 4% drop in birthing hospitals throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, and decreased access to maternity care in 369 counties since 2018.

    More than 32 million women lack access to reproducti...

    Minorities Miss Out on Brain-Imaging Studies for Alzheimer's

    Americans in ethnic and racial minority groups are underrepresented in Alzheimer's research, a new study finds.

    Still, the review of U.S.-based Alzheimer's disease brain imaging studies found the gap is closing.

    Compared with white patients, Hispanic Americans are nearly two times more likely to develop Alzheimer's as are Black Americans.

    For the study, researchers analyzed ...

    Minorities, Women Are Shortchanged When It Comes to Statins

    In yet another example of inequities in U.S. health care, new research indicates that many women and minority men who need statins to protect their heart aren't getting them.

    "The recommendation to use statins to treat and prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease has been supported by guidelines from major clinical societies for decades,"said study author

  • Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
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  • July 26, 2023
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  • Full Page