Defragmenting Community Health to Improve Outcomes
Fragmentation of care delivery systems results in patients falling through gaps in care, imperiling health outcomes and exacerbating health disparities. In a new Stat News article, Chris Dodd of the University of Washington School of Public Health and CMO of Emcara Health talks about how the Sea Mar Community Health Centers created an integrated approach to care that alleviated barriers to access for many patients.
Longitudinal Study Finds Racial and Ethnic Inequalities in Wealth and Health Relationship
Wealth is associated with better health outcomes, but a recently published study finds that this relationship differs significantly between racial and ethnic groups. The results, taken from the Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, found that wealth was strongly associated with wealth in white and Hispanic people, but was only associated with better outcomes in the wealthiest of Black young people.
More SDoH Data Needed to Investigate Cardiovascular Health Equity
A recently published study in AJPM Focus found that data regarding the social determinants of health (SDoH) that impact cardiovascular disease outcomes is sorely lacking. Interviews with several healthcare leaders across New York City revealed that health systems are prioritizing SDoH, but several barriers stand in the way of implementation efforts.
Moving to Patient-Centered Value-Based Care
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep disparities in care health outcomes in marginalized groups. One contributor to this problem are widely-used fee-for-service (FFS) payment models. In a new Forbes article, Rita Numerof argues that moving to a patient-centered value-based care model that accounts for social determinants of health (SDoH) is key to helping providers promote health equity through their care decisions.
Using Z Codes to Turn Social Determinants of Health Insights into Better Healthcare
Research in recent years has identified several non-medical factors that greatly influence health outcomes, referred to as social determinants of health (SDoH). However, health equity gains from these insights are held back, in part, by many providers not using the appropriate Z codes to record and track relevant SDoH data.
Moving to Eliminate Health Inequities
Despite years of concerted efforts by providers and policy makers, patients from marginalized backgrounds still face significant health disparities. In a new Med Page Today article, Maulik S. Joshi, DrPH, lays out three ways that care systems can enact changes to make health inequity a “never event.” It begins with appropriate goal setting and a sea change in how health systems view care.
Exploring the Systemic Causes of Maternal Mortality in the US
A 2022 report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explored the underlying causes of high maternal mortality in the US. Over 75% of maternal deaths happen after returning from the hospital after delivery and 80% were preventable. A new article in Health Affairs, explains how the underlying design of our maternal care systems contributes to the problem
Housing Instability Worsens Health Outcomes
Astronomical rent and home prices are driving the ever-worsening affordable housing crisis. A newly published article in JAMA Network Open explores the link between housing instability and health outcomes, finding that displacement and unsafe living situations related to unaffordable housing are tied to worse mental and physical wellbeing.
Language Barriers Worsen Asthma Care and Outcomes
English second language (ESL) Hispanic patients face significant barriers to adequate care, worsening health outcomes. Research presented at this year’s American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology meeting shows these health disparities are present for Hispanic people with Asthma, especially those who speak Spanish primarily.
Research Details Health Disparities in Childhood Asthma and Eczema Based on Race and Ethnicity
Health disparities in asthma and eczema have been observed in Black children, but little research has explored the combination of the two. In research presented at this year’s American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) meeting, researchers explored the social determinants of health (SDoH) underlying this heath disparity. In addition, another abstract investigated the increased rate of childhood asthma-related respiratory infections in Black and Mexican-American patients.
Michigan Minds Podcast: Addressing Health Disparities through Health Policy Research
Social determinants of health (SDoH) are a driving factor in health disparities, especially those faced by marginalized and rural populations. In the latest episode of the Michigan Minds Podcast, University of Michigan professor Paula Lantz, PhD talks about SDoH, birth rates, and how public policies can be used to address health disparities on the population level.
Improving Health Equity Through More Representative Clinical Trials
Patients from marginalized or rural populations often have less access to clinical trials or distrust based on a long-standing history of medical exploitation. However, this disparity in patient populations is detrimental to health equity efforts, biasing research by skewing heavily toward primarily white, upper-middle class, urban participant populations.
Supporting Comprehensive Care at Safety-Net Providers Through Value-Based Pricing
Although safety-net care systems are essential for providing healthcare to under- and uninsured people, often from marginalized backgrounds, comprehensive care is often out of reach due to a dearth of funding. One way to help address this care disparity, according to a newly published article in Health Affairs, is to implement value-based care pricing models.
Inflation Matters for Patients Considering Care Decisions
A recent survey of over 1,000 consumers found that 71% of participants said that inflation has affected their decision-making processes regarding healthcare. Results also show that one in ten people in the US owe at least 250 in medical debt. 43% of respondents said that the max amount they could comfortably spend on healthcare at the moment is just shy of that figure at $249.
Clinical Trials Must Include Diversity Plan in FDA Applications
Many patients from rural areas and marginalized backgrounds are severely underrepresented in many clinical trials. To address this problem, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that in the near future, all clinical trials registered through the agency must contain a plan to ensure diversity in the participant population. The plan will take time, however, as the agency must issue a final guidance and wait for public input.
Most Healthcare Organizations Behind on SDoH Data
The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) has released a white paper detailing the state of social determinants of health (SDoH) data collection and usage. The authors surveyed 2,637 members, finding that the majority of healthcare organizations are collecting SDoH data but have issues analyzing and using it.
Harvard Study Finds LGB People Face Significant Barriers to Care and Poor Health Outcomes
Health equity received a boost of attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing increased awareness of the health impact of social determinants of health (SDoH) like race and location. A recent study found that exposure risk was highly affected by a variety of SDoH. Likewise, access to care and quality of care are far from equally distributed.
Exploring the Intersection of Health Equity and Infectious Disease
Health equity received a boost of attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing increased awareness of the health impact of social determinants of health (SDoH) like race and location. A recent study found that exposure risk was highly affected by a variety of SDoH. Likewise, access to care and quality of care are far from equally distributed.
Food Insecurity and Health Outcomes in Sub-Saharan African Nations
Several Sub-Saharan African (SSA) nations face significant levels of food insecurity, which is known to worsen health outcomes. A new study published in BMC Public health analyzes analyzed the effects of food insecurity on life expectancy and infant mortality in SSA nations and found that both were negatively impacted by food insecurity.
Society for Family Health Outlines New Strategy to Improve Health Outcomes in Nigeria
The Society for Family Health (SFH) is celebrating its 40th anniversary by revamping its strategy to improve health outcomes in Nigeria. The plan involves re-evaluating the current healthcare system to find and target specific weaknesses in its approach. The first, according to SFH’s managing director Dr. Omokhudu Idogho, that health is viewed primarily from a healthcare perspective.
Six Steps to Target Social Determinants of Health and Advance Health Equity
Social determinants of health (SDoH) like socioeconomic status, race, transportation, geographic location, and educational status all factor into health outcomes but are often not addressed in care settings. In a new Medical Economics article, learn 6 ways that providers can address SDoH and promote better health for marginalized groups. The first step is by asking questions in person.
Visualizing the US Healthcare System Compared to Other Wealthy Nations
A newly published report from the Commonwealth Fund found that while the US spends the most on healthcare, it has the worst health outcomes amongst wealthy nations. In a new Advisory Board article, find 6 key charts that visualize the data, including “Changes in life expectancy over time,” “Healthcare spending per capita,” and “Avoidable deaths per 100,000 population over time.”
Non-Teaching Hospitals Near Academic Medical Centers Have Better Health Outcomes
A recently published paper in JAMA Network Open found that non-teaching hospitals with academic medical centers (AMCs) in the surrounding area have better patient health outcomes than non-teaching hospitals with no nearby AMCs. The study looked at data covering 22 million hospitalizations of older patients with Medicare who got care at hospitals from 2015-2017 in the US.
5 Takeaways for Practitioners to Promote Health Equity
Health equity efforts led by health impact assessment (HIA) and Health in All Policies (HiAP) professionals are helping to address [...]
Promoting Health Equity Efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa Via Social Entrepreneurs
Biotechs and pharma startups popped up across Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic, with so-called social entrepreneurs taking the lead. The World Economic Forum recent published a report on innovations driving health equity efforts in sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the role of social entrepreneurs, underappreciated solutions to tackle barriers to care, and how the public and private sectors can work together.
