Articles tagged with Social Inequality
A recent study of 4.8 million children with otitis media found that socially disadvantaged kids were less likely to receive treatment, increasing their risk of complications and hearing loss. The findings highlight the need for equitable access to ear infection treatment for all children.
A new study found that Black veterans hospitalized with COVID-19 were less likely to receive evidence-based treatments such as steroids and remdesivir compared to their white counterparts. However, the study also found that disparities in treatment did not translate to higher mortality rates or readmission rates among Black patients.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that high-status individuals in medieval Norway had higher bone mineral density and were taller than those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. This suggests that socioeconomic status may have played a role in shaping health outcomes over time.
A systematic review found scarce evidence supporting social prescribing's effectiveness in improving social support, physical function, or primary healthcare use. The link worker model showed promise in reducing hospital admissions and improving self-rated health for those with multiple conditions in deprived communities.
Women pursuing careers in entomology face persistent challenges in obtaining jobs compared to men. The study found that men published more research articles and were first authors on average, leading to higher H-index scores. Women are also less likely to hold industry positions as technical representatives and research scientists.
A decades-long study found that cash changed the Ju/’hoansi economy, allowing individuals to keep their earnings and fill their own needs. The study also revealed a decline in the traditional system of gifting and sharing, which had previously distributed possessions throughout communities.
A quality improvement project implemented by primary care providers increased the use of telehealth consultations among military veterans experiencing homelessness. The proportion of video visits doubled from 4.8% to 10.3% over 16 weeks, continuing to rise during the following month.
The MEMEX project promotes social cohesion by using AI and interactive tools to share community stories linked to cultural heritage. The exhibition features audio-visual stories from Lisbon, Barcelona, Paris, and Genoa participants who co-created their own digital content.
A study by Duke University researchers reveals that net worth poverty has a significant impact on child development, affecting cognitive scores and behavior. The research highlights the importance of considering both income and wealth when designing programs to address child wellbeing.
The article emphasizes the need to incorporate Indigenous self-determination into research, respecting knowledge, ethics, and processes. This move aims to address historical injustices and promote more equitable health research practices.
A majority of early career scientists from underrepresented backgrounds experience psychological distress due to social unrest caused by systemic racism. However, the study found that mentoring relationships have a positive impact on their well-being.
Recent US life expectancy increase does not correlate with better end-of-life health outcomes, research reveals. Disparities in disability at the end of life persist among black and less-educated women.
The report proposes a health equity framework to address disparities in telehealth services, focusing on strategic priority, patient input, social determinants, and institutional racism. It calls for integrating equity and innovation efforts to ensure access to telemedicine and digitally enabled health tools.
A new study co-authored by economist Dr. Reto Odermatt found that educational and occupational aspirations are important predictors of career success, with ambitious goals motivating people to invest more in their future career success. However, unrealistically high aspirations as a teenager can have negative effects on well-being as a...
Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and New York University team up with a $3 million NSF grant to develop Project ELEVATE, promoting equitable STEM career advancement for underrepresented faculty. The alliance aims to create a collaborative community for institutional change at private research institutions.
New research suggests that people who become wealthy from humble origins are less likely to support social welfare and have reduced sympathy for the poor compared to those who were born into wealth. The study of 736 participants found a positive view of upwardly mobile individuals, but also discovered that they perceived improving thei...
A nationwide study by UTEP researchers found that public housing residents experience higher levels of fine particulate matter, disproportionately affecting Black, Hispanic, disabled, and low-income populations. The study highlights the need for environmental, public health, and housing policies to address air pollution disparities.
A Swedish study found that male applicants with foreign-sounding names received significantly fewer callbacks than those with Swedish-sounding names. Applicants with Arabic/Muslim-sounding names faced the most significant barriers to securing rentals.
A Rutgers study finds that remote teaching during the pandemic contributed to teacher and student stress, particularly in lower-income school districts where students faced inequities in online learning opportunities. The study highlights the need for targeted e-learning solutions and retrospective audits to address digital inequality.
New research finds that journalists and laypersons describe racial and gender inequalities in terms of disadvantage, while wealth inequality is described in terms of advantage. The framing of inequalities is linked to their perceived legitimacy, with illegitimate inequalities being framed more strongly as disadvantages.
Research published in Science of the Total Environment found that adopting low-carbon fuels could reduce racial disparities in exposure to fine and ultrafine particle pollution by 20-40% in California by 2050. This would lead to improved air quality, reduced deaths, and estimated annual public health benefits of $20 billion.
A study found significant birthweight inequalities among descendants of non-Western immigrants, widening gaps over generations. Despite universal healthcare and education in Sweden, these groups experience lower birthweights, raising concerns about systemic discrimination.
New research found that 62% of tinted sunscreens have only one shade option, with tone compatibility being the most important criterion. The study suggests that the beauty industry and dermatologic field need to improve diversity and offer more options for tinted sunscreen formulations tailored to people with skin of color.
Research by University of South Australia found that knowing the 'right' people is crucial for securing a job, while African migrants often struggle due to systemic discrimination and racism. The study highlights the importance of anti-racism work and social networks in migrant labor market integration.
New research provides recommendations for quantitative health sciences to better understand the impact of racism on adverse health outcomes. The paper suggests applying theoretical frameworks, community consults, and elevating Black, Indigenous, and Latine scholars to leadership positions.
A new article applies a health equity lens to the National Academies' recommendations for high-quality primary care. The authors propose strategies to operationalize these recommendations, aiming to eliminate existing health inequities and ensure equitable access to quality primary care.
A recent study from North Carolina State University found that experiencing racism is stressful for Black youth, while taking action to address racism also contributes to stress. The study suggests a reciprocal relationship between racism-related physiological stress and high-risk activism among emerging adults.
A recent review of 104 studies found that certain interventions can successfully support women's empowerment and gender equality in fragile and conflict-affected settings. However, few interventions had positive effects on attitudes towards women, intimate partner violence, or women's participation in decision-making processes.
A study by University of Turku found that grandparents' support decreases with adverse experiences in children's families. However, maternal grandmothers' support remains consistent. The study suggests that future prospects for successful reproduction may impact grandparents' willingness to offer support.
A new study by University of Houston sociologist Kathryn Freeman Anderson reveals significant disparities in the initial COVID-19 vaccine rollout in five urban Texas counties. The research found that Black and Latino neighborhoods were less likely to receive vaccines due to existing healthcare resource shortages.
New research links structural sexism and anti-LGB stigma with increased risk of preterm birth and decreased birth weight, regardless of the mother's sexual orientation. The study found that these systemic issues can limit access to reproductive health care and socioeconomic opportunities, contributing to adverse birth outcomes.
A new study by the University of Southampton finds that skilled overseas workers with families face a higher risk of poverty than UK workers and their net incomes are lower under the UK's points-based immigration system. The researchers warn that this could make the UK less attractive for overseas workers who could fill skills gaps.
The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded pre-existing inequalities among refugee adolescents in Jordan, leading to increased stress and high rates of depression. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions to support these vulnerable populations.
The CHAMPS program, a multi-year quality improvement initiative in Mississippi, increased breastfeeding rates by 10 percentage points overall, with significant gains among Black mother-baby dyads. Rooming-in practices also improved, leading to reduced infant mortality and morbidity.
Historic redlining in Baltimore continues to impact present-day health outcomes, with lower average life expectancies observed across affected communities. The study highlights the persistence of systemic racism and unequal access to healthcare in these areas.
A new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that racial and ethnic minorities, as well as low-income groups in the US are being exposed to higher levels of dangerous fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) than other groups.
A new study led by Boston Medical Center researchers shows that Black individuals who were incarcerated have a statistically significant 65% increase in mortality rates compared to non-Hispanic non-Black individuals. This finding highlights the long-term impacts of incarceration on health, particularly among marginalized communities.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted work-life boundaries, particularly for mothers, who took on more childcare responsibilities. Research in Finland found that mothers' flexibility was key to managing multiple roles, while the absence of support services highlighted gendered practices.
An analysis of thousands of children's books published between 1960 and 2020 found that while female protagonists are increasingly represented, males remain overrepresented. The study also identified factors associated with representation, including author gender and book genre.
A new UC Davis study tracks firearm violence, assault, and homicide in 13 major US cities by zip code, revealing stark disparities. Firearm violence increased 29.3%, homicides by 27.7%, while robberies decreased 23.3% and rapes by 31.4% during the first five months of the pandemic.
A Rutgers-led study found that racial biases among health care providers may limit the number of Black women taking a daily pill to prevent HIV infection. The study also highlights how providers' racist beliefs can disadvantage Black women's access to PrEP, a medication up to 92% effective when taken correctly.
Pharmacy standing orders led to a significant increase in naloxone dispensing in Massachusetts, but gaps in access persist in rural communities and Hispanic neighborhoods. Communities with higher rates of opioid overdose deaths and buprenorphine treatment also dispensed more naloxone.
A study of four US states finds that Black people are more likely to be nonfatally shot and injured by police, with disparities greater than seen for fatal shootings. The research highlights the need for comprehensive data on police shootings to draw reliable conclusions about racial disparities.
A recent study published in Nature Machine Intelligence challenges the long-held assumption that accuracy and fairness are mutually exclusive in machine learning. Researchers found that optimizing models for accuracy does not necessarily compromise fairness, particularly when adjustments are made to data, labels, and scoring systems.
A new study explored how prosecutors think about race in criminal justice, finding that a color-blind approach can entrench racial disparities. The study suggests that changing prosecutor views on race and core beliefs is necessary to achieve justice.
The University of Huddersfield is leading a four-year project to analyze early intervention programs for young people aged 14-16 in England. The study aims to provide a systematic understanding of existing practice and its impact on young people, with potential contributions to improved support and education policy.
A new study by Carnegie Mellon University researchers found that Airbnb units cause a mild decrease in long-term rental supply, including affordable housing, while expanding the rental market. The study suggests a new tax to alleviate resulting inequities and maintain social equality.
The study will assess the impact of environmental and economic interventions on health and well-being in predominantly Black neighborhoods. Researchers will enroll 720 adults, half receiving the proposed interventions, and evaluate their overall health and wellbeing, as well as violent crime rates.
A study by the San Francisco Estuary Institute, the Nature Conservancy, and the University of Illinois suggests that access to nature may contribute to lower COVID-19 rates, regardless of racial or socioeconomic identity. The research team found a strong correlation between green spaces and decreased COVID-19 incidence rates.
A new study of 51,000 UK adults found that COVID-19 lockdowns had differential impacts on people's income, time use, and subjective well-being based on their gender, ethnicity, and educational level. The study suggests that these inequalities may persist even after lockdown restrictions eased.
Research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing indicates that disparities in readmissions between Black and White stroke patients may be linked to the level of nurse staffing in hospitals. Hospitals with better nurse staffing have been shown to reduce racial disparities in stroke readmissions.
A new study by UCL researchers found that social inequality can incite collective violence, including vandalism, even with weak social identification. The findings suggest that reducing economic inequality could play a role in maintaining public safety.
Danish adults have made significant strides in preserving their natural teeth and visiting the dentist more frequently. However, social disparities in dental health persist, with those from lower-income backgrounds receiving less preventive care.
A new study from the University of South Australia reveals that Australian firms with large gender pay gaps are not only perpetuating inequality but also harming their overall performance. The research found that women executives in top management teams can lower a firm's annual return on assets by 2.2%.
A new study found that the public generally opposes repressive policing of protesters, but certain tactics by protesters increase fear and support for police repression. The goals of protests also impact support for police repression, with racially resentful individuals more supportive of repression.
Researchers found that socioeconomic privilege and political ideology play a significant role in racial disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rates. Counties with higher median incomes displayed lower disparities, while county-level educational disparities had a greater impact on unequal vaccination rates.
A recent study by the American Cancer Society found a strong association between economic mobility and racial disparities in mortality in the US. The study suggests that structural racism has persisted with similar magnitude across generations, leading to increased death rates among Black individuals compared to their White counterparts.
A Kaiser Permanente study of over 31,000 heart attack patients in Southern California revealed significant racial disparities in long-term survival. Black patients from lower-resourced neighborhoods were more likely to die within 5 years after a heart attack compared to white patients, regardless of healthcare access.
A study by the University of South Australia suggests that public resistance to inheritance and estate taxes has declined in Australia. Researchers found that two-thirds of young adults and senior Australians are in favor of taxing estates worth more than $3m, which could help address social inequalities and increase government revenue.
Researchers analyzed fine-scale energy use data to reveal significant racial and income disparities in urban energy use. Block groups with higher poverty rates exhibit significantly higher annual energy consumption, particularly for temperature-sensitive applications.