Читать книгу The Science of Health Disparities Research - Группа авторов - Страница 18

There is substantial overlap in minority health research and health disparities research, in particular, research that focuses on worse health outcomes among particular racial/ethnic minority groups compared to Whites or other populations (Figure 1.1). For example, the fact that African American men have a higher prevalence and mortality for lung cancer is both a minority health and health disparities issue [4]. Blacks are a disparity population, smoke at a similar or lower rate than other racial/ethnic groups, and yet experience up to 50% more lung cancer for the same cigarette smoking intensity [4].

Figure 1.1 Overlapping but distinct constructs of Minority Health and Health Disparities Research.

Another example is type 2 diabetes, which is more common and has more severe manifestations in all racial/ethnic minority groups studied in the United States compared to Whites [5]. However, within a staff model healthcare system, the rates of myocardial infarction or heart attacks in patients with diabetes were lower for all minority race/ethnic groups compared to Whites, while the rates of end‐stage renal disease were higher. Understanding the factors that lead to these substantial differences in outcomes by race/ethnicity in a well‐characterized disease such as diabetes are likely to advance knowledge about mechanisms of how the condition progresses [6].

There are conditions where some racial/ethnic minority groups may have better health outcomes than the reference population, placing the study of these conditions within the domain of minority health research. Latinos or Hispanics have the longest life expectancy by gender of any other demographic group in the United States. This longer life expectancy is a consequence of lower overall rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cerebrovascular disease [7]. Suicide and opioid overdoses are other examples of conditions with lower rates for African Americans, Latinos, and Asians, but higher rates among American Indians/Alaska Natives and lower SES and rural Whites [8]. Research related to the last two populations would fall squarely into the category of health disparities research.