To get these headlines delivered to your inbox every week, sign up for our weekly health news roundup.
How to bring more Black Americans into clinical research: Address the root causes of medical skepticism
Khalilah Brown and Stephen Sodeke, STAT News, Nov. 4
Researchers are working on a project that encourages Black Americans to participate more fully in clinical research and share in its benefits. Black Americans have historically been subjected to medical racism, such as the Tuskegee experiment and the non-consensual medical experimentation on enslaved women. Historical trauma and mistrust remain significant barriers to diverse clinical trials. Researchers are looking to improve participation in trials by working through trusted primary care networks and taking a community-based approach that also empowers participants to make informed decisions with their health care providers.
Community health workers spread across the US, even in rural areas
Arielle Zionts, KFF Health News, Nov. 6
Community health worker programs are growing across the U.S., including in rural areas and small cities. Community health workers help patients navigate the health system, and address barriers that could keep them from getting care. They also provide education on managing chronic health problems. In rural areas where people face higher rates of poverty and certain health problems, community health workers are an especially important extension of the health care system.
Lawsuit to fix pulse oximeter bias makes progress with device manufacturers
Anil Oza, STAT News, Nov. 1
In 2022, Noha Aboelata noticed that the racial biases built in pulse oximeters were hurting her patients in Oakland, California. The devices overestimate blood oxygen in people with darker skin tones, making them appear healthier than they are. She sued 12 pulse oximeter manufacturers and distributors to pressure them to make a more equitable device. It is beginning to create change. One company, Medtronic, has begun educating physicians about the issue and providing QR codes on its devices that link to educational information about pulse oximeters.
In Vermont, where almost everyone has insurance, many can’t find or afford care
Phil Galewitz, KFF Health News, Nov. 6
Vermont ranks among the healthiest states, and its unemployment and uninsured rates are among the lowest. However, Vermonters also pay the highest prices nationwide for health care coverage. Nine of the state’s 14 hospitals are losing money and its largest insurer is struggling to stay solvent. Long waits for care have also become increasingly common. The state’s situation surprises health experts because virtually all its residents have insurance and the state regulates care and coverage prices. “Vermont’s struggles are a wake-up call that insurance is only one piece of the puzzle to ensuring access to care,” said Keith Mueller, a rural health expert at the University of Iowa.
How strict abortion bans threaten health care for all women
Brit McCandless Farmer, CBS News, Nov. 3
More restrictive abortion laws in some states have led some doctors and medical students to leave those states. The vacancies are contributing to a maternity care access crisis. According to a recent report, more than one-third of counties in America are considered maternity care deserts. That means they don’t have a single doctor, nurse, midwife, or medical center that specializes in maternity care. “You need OB-GYNs for pap smears, for birth control, for mammograms. And then not to mention routine pregnancy care. You need OB-GYNs staffing the hospitals and staffing those labor and deliveries, which in rural areas are already struggling to stay open. And so people are having to travel further for care — pregnancy or other care — and then waiting even longer to be able to be seen,” said OB-GYN resident Dr. Adrianne Smith.