Making Communities More Visible: Equity‐Centered Data to Achieve Health Equity

Policy Points Despite decades of research exposing health disparities between populations and communities in the US, health equity goals remain largely unfulfilled. We argue these failures call for applying an equity lens in the way we approach data systems, from collection and analysis to interpretation and distribution. Hence, health equity requires data equity. There is notable federal interest in policy changes and federal investments to improve health equity. With this, we outline the opportunities to align these health equity goals with data equity by improving the way communities are engaged and how population data are collected, analyzed, interpreted, made accessible, and distributed. Policy priority areas for data equity include increasing the use of disaggregated data, increasing the use of currently underused federal data, building capacity for equity assessments, developing partnerships between government and community, and increasing data accountability to the public

A review of hair product use on breast cancer risk in African American women

The incidence rate of breast cancer for African American women has recentlyconverged with that of non-HispanicWhite women in the United States, although African Americans have a higher mortality rate due to this disease.Although most research exploring health disparities associated with this phenomenon has focused on differences between women based on biology andbehavior, both the academic and lay communities have begun to explore thepotential role of environmental exposure to estrogen and endocrine disruptingchemicals (EDCs). This study reviews the current state of the science associatingone such means of exposure, hair products containing EDCs, with breast cancer risk in African American women. We found a growing body of evidence linking:(1) environmental estrogen and EDC exposures to breast cancer risk, (2)the presence of such chemicals in personal care products, including hair products,and (3) the use of certain hair products with potential breast cancer risk inAfrican Americans. At the same time, there is also increasing concern in thelay community about this risk. These results indicate the need for additionalresearch, and the opportunity to benefit from strategic partnerships in community-collaborative approaches in order to better understand the potential “cost ofbeauty.

A review of hair product use on breast cancer risk in African American women

The incidence rate of breast cancer for African American women has recentlyconverged with that of non-HispanicWhite women in the United States, although African Americans have a higher mortality rate due to this disease.Although most research exploring health disparities associated with this phenomenon has focused on differences between women based on biology andbehavior, both the academic and lay communities have begun to explore thepotential role of environmental exposure to estrogen and endocrine disruptingchemicals (EDCs). This study reviews the current state of the science associatingone such means of exposure, hair products containing EDCs, with breast cancer risk in African American women. We found a growing body of evidence linking:(1) environmental estrogen and EDC exposures to breast cancer risk, (2)the presence of such chemicals in personal care products, including hair products,and (3) the use of certain hair products with potential breast cancer risk inAfrican Americans. At the same time, there is also increasing concern in thelay community about this risk. These results indicate the need for additionalresearch, and the opportunity to benefit from strategic partnerships in community-collaborative approaches in order to better understand the potential “cost ofbeauty.

Measuring Structural Racism: A Guide for Epidemiologists and Other Health Researchers.

There have been over 100 years of literature discussing the deleterious influence of racism on health. Much of the literature describes racism as a driver of social determinants of health, such as housing, employment, income, and education. More recently, increased attention has been given to measuring the structural nature of a system that advantages one racialized group over others rather than solely relying on individual acknowledgement of racism. Despite these advances, there is still a need for methodological and analytical approaches to complement the aforementioned. This commentary calls on epidemiologists and other health researchers at large to engage the discourse on measuring structural racism. First, we address the conflation between race and racism in epidemiologic research. Next, we offer methodological recommendations (linking of interdisciplinary variables and data sets and leveraging mixed-method and life-course approaches) and analytical recommendations (integration of mixed data, use of multidimensional models) that epidemiologists and other health researchers may consider in health equity research. The goal of this commentary is to inspire the use of up-to-date and theoretically driven approaches to increase discourse among public health researchers on capturing racism as well as to improve evidence of its role as the fundamental cause of racial health inequities

Diversity of Studies on Neighborhood Greenspace and Brain Health by Racialized/Ethnic Group and Geographic Region: A Rapid Review

Studies examining associations between greenspace and Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) outcomes are rapidly on the rise, yet no known literature reviews have summarized the racialized/ethnic group and geographic variation of those published studies. This is a significant gap given the known disparities in both greenspace access and ADRD risk between racialized/ethnic groups and between developed versus developing countries. In this rapid literature review, we (1) describe the diversity of published greenspace-brain health studies with respect to racialized/ethnic groups and geographic regions; (2) determine the extent to which published studies have investigated racialized/ethnic group differences in associations; and (3) review methodological issues surrounding studies of racialized/ethnic group disparities in greenspace and brain health associations. Of the 57 papers meeting our inclusion criteria as of 4 March 2022, 21% (n = 12) explicitly identified and included individuals who were Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and/or Asian. Twenty-one percent of studies (n = 12) were conducted in developing countries (e.g., China, Dominican Republic, Mexico), and 7% (n = 4) examined racialized/ethnic group differences in greenspace-brain health associations. None of the studies were framed by health disparities, social/structural determinants of health, or related frameworks, despite the known differences in both greenspace availability/quality and dementia risk by racialized/ethnic group and geography. Studies are needed in developing countries and that directly investigate racialized/ethnic group disparities in greenspace-brain health associations to target and promote health equity

Diversity of Studies on Neighborhood Greenspace and Brain Health by Racialized/Ethnic Group and Geographic Region: A Rapid Review

Studies examining associations between greenspace and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) outcomes are rapidly on the rise, yet no known literature reviews have summarized the racialized/ethnic group and geographic variation of those published studies. This is a significant gap given the known disparities in both greenspace access and ADRD risk between racialized/ethnic groups and between developed versus developing countries. In this rapid literature review, we (1) describe the diversity of published greenspace–brain health studies with respect to racialized/ethnic groups and geographic regions; (2) determine the extent to which published studies have investigated racialized/ethnic group differences in associations; and (3) review methodological issues surrounding studies of racialized/ethnic group disparities in greenspace and brain health associations. Of the 57 papers meeting our inclusion criteria as of 4 March 2022, 21% (n = 12) explicitly identified and included individuals who were Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and/or Asian. Twenty-one percent of studies (n = 12) were conducted in developing countries (e.g., China, Dominican Republic, Mexico), and 7% (n = 4) examined racialized/ethnic group differences in greenspace–brain health associations. None of the studies were framed by health disparities, social/structural determinants of health, or related frameworks, despite the known differences in both greenspace availability/quality and dementia risk by racialized/ethnic group and geography. Studies are needed in developing countries and that directly investigate racialized/ethnic group disparities in greenspace—brain health associations to target and promote health equity

Unmet Need for Mental Health Services Utilization Among Under-Resourced Black and Latinx Adults

IntroductionSubstantial unmet need for mental health services (MHS) exists in the United States, with pronounced disparities among people of color. Research highlights the need to identify facilitators and barriers to MHS utilization among Black and Latinx individuals to better promote overall health. We tested an expanded model of MHS use based on Andersen's (1995) conceptual framework of health care utilization. Associations were examined between sociodemographic variables, trauma and adversity burden, living with HIV, and unmet need for MHS in a community sample of underresourced Black and Latinx individuals. Barriers to MHS utilization are described.MethodsFive-hundred participants completed the UCLA Life Adversities Screener (LADS), sociodemographic measures, and items assessing need for and barriers to MHS.Results228 (46%) participants reported a need for MHS; of these, 115 (51%) reported receiving MHS. A binomial logistic regression model estimated the relative contribution of the LADS on need for MHS. Severity of LADS, younger age, and living with HIV predicted unmet need for MHS. Barriers to MHS included financial and time constraints and health system-related issues. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests revealed differences in mental health symptoms by MHS need.DiscussionThe unmet need for MHS in this sample of Black and Latinx individuals highlights the importance of addressing the systemic roots of trauma and adversity burden, and eliminating structural barriers to treatment to reduce existing health and mental health inequities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Examining structural interventions that address racialized health and well-being outcomes: a systematic scoping review

Despite decades of research examining the relationship between social determinants of health and wellbeing outcomes, little is understood relative to the nature and strength of interventions that systematically address the root causes and drivers of racialized inequities (Braveman & Gottlieb, 2014). The aim of this systematic scoping review is to identify and map the various components and characteristics of interventions that address structural racism relative to health, wellbeing, and structural outcomes by examining the literature inclusive of the context and populations where these interventions were implemented