Breast cancer affects many people. But when it comes to clinical trials, some groups are missing. Black and Hispanic patients are not as likely to join these trials. This is a problem. It makes it hard to give fair care to everyone. There are reasons for this gap. Understanding these reasons is key. It can help more people get the care they need. This is not ...
When someone suffers a severe brain injury, decisions about their care often fall to family or friends. This is because predicting the outcome of such injuries is incredibly difficult. A recent study looked into how these decisions vary among different racial and ethnic groups. The study focused on two key areas: stopping life-sustaining treatments and referring pat...
Dialysis is a tough road for anyone, but it can be even harder for some people. It turns out that where a person starts their dialysis treatment can make a big difference. Some patients begin their dialysis at the main facility of the kidney doctor they saw before starting dialysis. This might seem like a good idea, but it can lead to problems. The quality of these m...
The flu shot is a simple and effective way to protect against the flu. However, not everyone is taking advantage of it. Some groups, like older Black and Hispanic adults, are not getting the flu shot as much as they should. This is a worry, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how people think about vaccines. Health experts are keeping an eye on this s...
Ovarian cancer is a serious health issue that affects many women. One way doctors try to catch it early is by looking at something called cancer antigen 125, or CA-125. This is a protein that can be found in higher amounts in the blood of people with ovarian cancer. The problem is that the guidelines for what counts as a high level of CA-125 were made using data from...
Large language models (LLMs) are powerful tools used in healthcare. They help with tasks like diagnosing diseases and suggesting treatments. However, there's a big problem. These models can have hidden biases. This means they might not work as well for people of different races and ethnicities. This can lead to unfair treatment and health disparities. Think ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of challenges to the US. One of the biggest issues is food insecurity. This is when people don't have enough food to live a healthy life. People from racial and ethnic minority groups are hit the hardest by this problem. These groups often face food insecurity more than others. During the pandemic, the US government st...
Let's talk about money. It's a big deal when it comes to healthcare, especially for expectant mothers. People with commercial insurance are finding that their share of the bill for maternity care is going up. This isn't just about numbers; it's about real people and real lives. The costs can affect how often people seek care and, ultimately, the health of both mother...
Imagine you have a skin issue. Who do you think is more likely to spot it? A skin doctor or someone else? A study looked into this, focusing on a big hospital system in California. They checked out the records of patients who had dermatitis. Dermatitis is a skin condition that can make your skin red, itchy, or swollen. The study found something interesting. ...
Breast density is a big topic in the world of health. It's all about how much fibrous and glandular tissue is in a person's breasts compared to fatty tissue. Dense breasts can make it harder to spot tumors on mammograms. This is a big deal because early detection is key in fighting breast cancer. Researchers have been looking into how well women understand breast de...