Disease Disparities
Dementia Deaths Rise, Black Americans and Women Most Affected
Racial Disparities Persist in Colorectal Cancer Outcomes
Environmental Disparities
Wildfire Smoke Exacerbates Racial Disparities in Pediatric Asthma
Air Pollution Drives High Death Rates in Black Americans
Disturbing Health Disparities
Health disparities are differences in the burden of illness, injury, disability, or mortality experienced by one group relative to another. These differences are closely linked with social, economic, or environmental disadvantages.
Source:Ā Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
Treatment Disparities
Death Rate Disparities
Cancer Death Rates Decline for Black Men, But Disparities Persist
Homicide Widens Life Expectancy Gap Between Black and White Men
Latest Health Disparity News

Women of Color Face Delays in Endometrial Cancer Surgery



Heart Risk Tool Works for Asian, Hispanic Groups

Black Veterans Wait Longest for Specialty Care


Lung Cancer Screening Rates Lag for Minority Groups



Unsettling Stories
News about health disparities among Hispanic Americans
Puerto Rican Mothers Face Alarming Birth Disparities
Hispanic Americans Face Unique Cancer Challenges, Study Finds
New HIV Cases Falling, But Not As Much in Young Latinos
Cancer Care Lags for Hispanic People in the US
Hispanic Suicide Rates Rise Sharply, Alarming Community Leaders
Mexican Americans Face Rising Liver Cancer Risk Across Generations
Latina Mortality Study Reveals Health Disparities
Disparity Disruptors: Individuals Working to Address Health Disparities

Lisa Cooper
Enhances patient-physician communication, addresses systemic racism, promotes health equity. systemic racism, promotes health equity

Alyson Shirley
Develops culturally tailored health interventions that incorporate Native American languages and traditions

J.C. Abdul-Mutakabbir
Educates healthcare professionals about racial biases and health equity

Kafui Dzirasa
Innovates mental health treatments, mentors minority students, promotes diversity in science

Harriet Washington
Highlights historical and ongoing exploitation of African Americans in medical research and healthcare
News about health disparities among Black Americans
Abortion Bans Widen Health Disparities for Minority Communities
Racial Bias in Kidney Transplant Equation Leads to Lawsuit
Homicide Widens Life Expectancy Gap Between Black and White Men
Health Disparities Data

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) “Key Data on Health and Health Care by Race and Ethnicity” (June 11, 2024)
AI/AN = American Indian/Alaska Native

Source: American Cancer Society Cancer Facts & Figures 2024.
AI/AN = American Indian/Alaska Native; Asian/PI = Asian American and Pacific Islander.
News about health disparities among Asian Americans

Heart Disease Risks Vary Among South Asian and East Asian Americans
South Asian Heart Health Study Reveals Disparities Among Sub Groups
Suicide Rates Surge Among Young Asian Americans
Disaggregating Asian American Health Data Gains Momentum
Breast Cancer Rates Soar Among Asian and Pacific Islander Women
Geographic Factors Influence Heart Risk in Chinese Americans
Suicide Risk Among Asian American Youth Varies Widely by Subgroup
More Disparity Disruptors: Individuals Working to Address Health Disparities

Marcia Cruz-Correa
Spearheads initiatives to encourage regular colorectal cancer screenings among Puerto Rico residents

Diane Mahoney
Spearheads efforts to address health disparities in ovarian cancer care

Crystal CenƩ
Leads justice, equity, diversity, inclusion initiatives in UC San Diego Health system

Kelvin Choi
Leads efforts to understand and mitigate tobacco-related health disparities

Eliseo PƩrez-Stable
Advances health equity, integrates social determinants, leads minority health research
News about health disparities among American Indians and Alaska Natives
Deaths of Despair Shift to Black and Indigenous Americans
Syphilis Surge Hits Native Americans Hardest, CDC Data Show
New Tool Reveals Higher Heart Failure Risk for Native Americans
Native Americans Face Drastically Shorter Life Expectancy
Lack of Data Hinders Native American Public Health Efforts
Initiatives by groups to address Health Disparities
Penn State College of Medicine
Reducing cancer disparities and improving health literacy in cardiovascular health, cancer, and diabetes for rural and underserved communities in Pennsylvania
University of Colorado
Addressing high rates of childhood obesity among U.S.-born children of Latino immigrant parents
Medical College of Wisconsin
Increasing number of physicians focusing on underserved at-risk populations
University of North Carolina
Increasing participation of underrepresented groups in clinical trials
University of Maryland
Launching Initiative to Combat COVID-19 Vaccine Disparities
Northwestern Medicine
Launching program to increase transplant access for Black patients
Prisma Health of South Carolina
Addressing racial disparities in maternal health by providing doulas to Black mothers
U.S. Oncology Network
Addressing patientsā health-related social needs by joining with nation’s largest social services support network
MedStar Washington Hospital Center
Increasing access to prenatal and postpartum care in Washington DC’s wards with highest infant mortality
Allegheny Health Network
Targeting cardiovascular health disparities in Pittsburgh with Its āEvery Heart Mattersā program
American Heart Association
Targeting social determinants of health to improve care of cardiovascular patients
American Heart Association
Investing $210+ million in scientific research on health inequities and expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups in science and medicine
American Medical Association
Expanding education opportunities through partnerships between Indian Health Service and accredited medical schools
Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience
Working to ensure presentation of all human brains in scientific studies
American Heart Association
Providing financial and technical assistance to companies in Minnesota focused on addressing health disparities within their communities
Nonprofit Colorado Access
Focusing on building trust within the Latino community to increase vaccination rates and address health needs
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Donating $9.5M to Expand Washington DC’s healthcare career training for high school students
Carolās Daughter and Mama Glow Foundation
Launching video series to provide Black birthing people essential tools to advocate for their health
Distant Relatives
Providing crucial health care screening services to those struggling to access quality care in Washington DC
Champions Coaching in Raleigh, North Carolina
Helping youth and underserved communities develop swimming skills and water safety awareness
City of Boston
Targeting three main causes of premature death among city residents
Polk County, Iowa
Starting program to detect dementia early among Latino community
State of Nebraska
Seeking to reverse Black maternal healthcare disparities by improving healthcare infrastructure in underserved areas
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Utilizing data-driven strategies to address health disparities in breast and cervical cancer screening among underserved U.S. populations
Maricopa County, Arizona
Creating with Arizona State University a Well-Being Hub to enhance quality of life where disparity in life expectancy is most pronounced
CaringWire of Columbus, Ohio
Developing advanced analytics tools to predict health risks and outcomes based on social determinants to address potential health issues
CME Outfitters, provider of accredited continuing medical education
Collaborating with National Black Church Initiative to increase diversity in clinical trials and enhance cultural competency among healthcare providers
Heartland Surrogacy, Iowa’s first surrogacy agency
Addressing critical reproductive health care disparities within Iowaās Hispanic community.
MyOme and Broad Clinical Labs
Supporting Southern Research Program to bring genetics-driven health insights to Alabama free of charge to address healthcare disparities
More Health Disparities Data

Source: CDC’s “Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2022.”
Ā (2024)
Spotlight on Health Disparities
In Arizona, English-only school segregation policies, systemic racism and xenophobic laws created stark mental health barriers for state’s Latino students, nearly half the stateās K-12 children. AZ ranks worst in the nation for having enough counselors to serve students.Ā
See : “In Arizona, a legacy of English-only education, systemic racism and xenophobic laws create a mental health crisis among Latino students” (April 19, 2024)
The so-called āHispanic paradoxā of good health began to unravel once researchers started digging deeper into the diverse subgroups within the Hispanic population and found significant differences in cardiovascular risk factorsĀ among various Hispanic ethnic groups.
See: “Nearly 50 years after research began, more questions than answers about Hispanic heart health” (October 1, 2024)
Though Asians comprise 50+ racial and ethnic groups, their health data are often reported as a single āAsian Americanā category, masking significant disparities inĀ their communities. As a result, Asians are experiencing growing disparities from undiagnosed health conditions.
See: āOverlooked health issues that āneed to be addressedā in Asian communitiesā (August 27, 2024)
An average 55-year-old Black man has same biological age as a White man age 68, and a 55-year-old Black woman the same frailty of a White woman who is 75. This gap may explain disparities in economic outcomes such as disability, length of working life, and lifespan.
See: “Health inequality and economic disparities by race, ethnicity, and gender” (October 29, 2024)
A recent survey of 6,292 U.S. adults revealed that one in three Black women reported negative experiences with healthcare providers that led to worse health outcomes or reluctance to seek future care. Three in five said they brace for potential insults before appointments.
See: “Five Facts About Black Womenās Experiences in Health Care” (May 7, 2024)
So-called “deaths of despair” in the United States have shifted dramatically from White Americans to middle-age Native Americans, who now have much higher death rates from alcoholism, drug overdoses, and suicide than middle-age Whites.Ā Ā
See: “Deaths of despair now highest among Black and Indigenous Americans” (April 11, 2024)
Recent reports about health disparities

No Excuse: Inadequate Cervical Cancer Prevention and Care for Black Women in the United States Mississippi Delta
āMississippi is the state with the highest rate of cervical cancer deaths in the United States. Black women in Mississippi are almost 1.5 times as likely to die of the disease as white women living in the state, despite Black and white women having nearly identical incidence rates. ā

American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts & Figures 2025
āCompared to White people, Hispanic people have lower incidence for most common cancers (female breast, colorectum, lung and prostate), but 36% higher incidence of cervical cancer and almost 2 times higher incidence of stomach and liver cancer, all of which are largely preventable.ā

American Lung Association’s 7th annual āState of Lung Cancerā
āPeople of color who are diagnosed with lung cancer are less likely to be diagnosed early, less likely to be alive five years after diagnosis, less likely to receive surgical treatment and more likely to receive no treatment.ā

March of Dimes’ 2024 Report Card
āThe US preterm birth rate remains historically high at 10.4% with significant disparities among racial and ethnic groupsā¦In 2023, the rate of inadequate prenatal care rose to 15.7%, the highest in a decade, with even higher rates among Black and American Indian/Alaska Native communities.ā

American Association for Cancer Research’s Cancer Progress Report 2024
“The Report highlights significant advancements in cancer research and treatment, yet underscores persistent health disparities affecting minority communities…Minority communities face higher cancer incidence and mortality rates due to barriers in accessing quality healthcare.”

“Health Coverage Rates Vary Widely Across ā and Within ā Racial and Ethnic Groups”
“Over 26 million people remain uninsured, and uninsured rates vary substantially between racial and ethnic groups. Thereās even wider uninsured rate variation among the many racial and ethnic subgroups within the larger categories.”
News about pressing issues in health disparities
More diversity needed in clinical trials

Racial Disparities Persist in Gynecologic Cancer Trials
FDA Purges Clinical Trial Diversity Pages Amid DEI Ban
Real-World Data Key to Boosting Diversity in Clinical Trials
Alzheimer’s Research Faces Racial Disparities in Clinical Trials
Cancer Trials Exclude Many African, Middle Eastern Patients
Do algorithms, Artificial Intelligence (AI), or race-based adjustments reduce or worsen health disparities?

Health Systems Scramble to Comply with Anti-Discrimination Rule
Race-Based Kidney Test Perpetuated Health Disparities, Sparks Change
Health Algorithms Both Help and Hurt Racial Disparities
AI Chatbots Perpetuate Racial Biases in Pain Assessment
Boston Children’s Hospital Stops Using Race in Medical Rules
Google Unveils Initiatives to Promote Health Equity in AI
AI Revolutionizing Clinical Trial Recruitment, Addressing Health Disparities
Fewer than half of hospitals test their AI tools for racial bias
Maternal health disparities need urgent attentionĀ

Washington State Firms Expand Doula Health Benefits
Study Reveals Persistent Racial Gaps in Maternal Health Outcomes
Doula Care Improves Maternal Health for Medicaid Patients
Black Mothers Face Higher Mortality Rates Despite Education
Repeat C-Sections Riskier for Black, Latinx Mothers
Significant disparities in out-of-pocket spending for maternity care
Expanded Medicaid Improves Maternal Mental Health for Immigrants
Health disparities affect organ donation and transplants
