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Showing results for tags 'Health Disparities'.
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Content ArticleThis multinational research study in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice aimed to investigate perceived to people with diabetes adopting and maintaining open-source automated insulin delivery (AID) systems. 129 participants with type 1 diabetes from 31 countries were recruited online to elicit their perceived barriers towards the building and maintaining of an open-source AID system. The study identified a range of structural and individual-level barriers to the uptake of open-source AID, including: sourcing the necessary components lack of confidence in one's own technology knowledge and skills perceived time and energy required to build a system fear of losing healthcare provider support Some of these individual-level barriers may be overcome over time through the peer-support of the DIY online community as well as greater acceptance of open-source innovation among healthcare professionals. The findings have important implications for understanding the possible wider use of open-source diabetes technology solutions in the future. Further reading How safe are closed loop artificial pancreas systems?
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News ArticleMinisters must use legislation to address an “unacceptable and inexcusable” failure to address racial disparity in the use of the Mental Health Act (MHA), MPs and peers have said. The joint committee on the draft mental health bill says the bill does not go far enough to tackle failures that were identified in a landmark independent review five years ago, but which still persist and may even be getting worse. The committee says the landmark 2018 review of the MHA by Prof Simon Wessely – which the bill is a response to – was intended to address racial and ethnic inequalities, but that those problems have not improved since then “and, on some key metrics, are getting rapidly worse”. Lady Buscombe, the committee chair, said: “We believe stronger measures are needed to bring about change, in particular to tackle racial disparity in the use of the MHA. The failure to date is unacceptable and inexcusable. “The government should strengthen its proposal on advanced choice and give patients a statutory right to request an advance choice document setting out their preferences for future care and treatment, thereby strengthening both patient choice and their voice.” A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are taking action to address the unequal treatment of people from Black and other ethnic minority backgrounds with mental illness – including by tightening the criteria under which people can be detained and subject to community treatment orders. “The government will now review the committee’s recommendations and respond in due course.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 19 January 2023
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Content ArticleIn this article for iNews, journalist Sarah Graham talks to Dee Montague-Coast, who has asthma and endometriosis, and who has had very different experiences of care between the two conditions. Dee describes how she has always received excellent care for her asthma, but how she has had to endure disbelief and many investigations, tests for sexually transmitted infections and even surgeries over twenty years, before finally being diagnosed with endometriosis by a private consultant. Sarah highlights the difficulties women face in receiving diagnosis and treatment for endometriosis, in spite of it being the second most common gynaecological condition. She also highlights geographical and race-based disparities in care and treatment and outlines how attitudes towards women's pain means their symptoms are not always listened to and taken seriously.
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Content Article
In this opinion piece, Kath Sansom, founder of campaign group Sling the Mesh, looks at flaws in the Government’s approach to women harmed by pelvic mesh surgery receiving financial redress. She highlights the unsuccessful case of Sarah*, who attempted to bring a clinical negligence case after suffering multiple complications as a result of pelvic mesh, to demonstrate that the national Redress Agency recommended by the Cumberlege Review is still very necessary. -
Content ArticleThis study examined the risks and patterns of childhood deaths before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this cohort study, there were 3409 childhood deaths from April 2019 to March 2020, 3035 deaths from April 2020 to March 2021, and 3428 deaths from April 2021 to March 2022. Overall risk of death was significantly lower from 2020 to 2021, but not from 2021 to 2022 when compared with the reference year of 2019 to 2020. These findings suggest that there was a significant reduction in all-cause child mortality during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021), which returned to near prepandemic levels the following year (2021-2022).
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News Article
US cancer death rate drops by 30% since 1991
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Death rates from cancer in the US have fallen by 32% over the three decades from 1991 to 2019, according to the American Cancer Society. The decline is thanks to prevention, screening, early diagnosis and treatment of common cancers, including lung and breast cancer. The drop has meant 3.5m fewer deaths. However, cancers are still the second leading cause of death in the US, after heart disease. In 1991, the cancer death rate was 215 per 100,000 people and in 2019 it dropped to 146 per 100,000 people. Lung cancer, of which there are 230,000more cases each year, kills the most patients, 350 per day. But people are being diagnosed sooner, and technological advancements have increased the survival rate by three years. The report also examined racial and economic disparities in cancer outcomes. The Covid-19 pandemic added to already existing difficulties for marginalised groups to get cancer screenings and treatment. For nearly every type of cancer, white people have a higher survival rate than black people. Black women with breast cancer face a 41% higher death rate than white women. Read full story Source: BBC News, 12 January 2023 -
Content ArticleThis blog by Robert Otto Valdez, Director of the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), outlines the setbacks to patient safety and the healthcare workforce caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. He highlights areas of concern including workforce burnout and an increase in healthcare associated infections (HAIs) since 2020. The issues faced by the US healthcare system are not felt equally, and Valdez draws attention to a report that demonstrates worsening health inequalities. The blog includes links to evidence-based research and initiatives developed by AHRQ aimed at improving current patient safety priorities. Toolkits to improve antibiotic use. These resources are based on a “Four Moments of Antibiotic Decision Making” model that has shown success in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and ambulatory care practices. Tools to engage patients and families in making healthcare safer. Patients and families are powerful partners in improving quality and safety in hospital settings, during primary care visits, or whenever a diagnosis is made. These resources help ensure that patients’ voices are heard. Surveys on patient safety culture. This family of surveys asks healthcare providers and staff about the extent to which their organisational culture supports patient safety. Each survey is designed to assess patient safety culture in a specific setting. Diagnostic Centers of Excellence. These grants establishing 10 centres of excellence are aimed at developing systems, measures, and new technology solutions to improve diagnostic safety and quality.
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Content ArticleDr Henrietta Hughes, England's Patient Safety Commissioner, discusses how the experiences of people from Black and minority ethnic groups has worsened since the pandemic and how this has impacted on patient safety, in a blog for the NHS Race & Health Observatory.
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News Article
Prostate cancer diagnosis ‘lottery’ sees regions lagging far behind London
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Prostate cancer patients across the UK face a “postcode lottery” of care, a charity has warned, with men in Scotland almost three times more likely to be diagnosed at a late stage compared with men in London. Prostate Cancer UK said the proportion diagnosed when the disease may be too advanced to treat varied hugely depending on where patients lived. Health leaders called the findings “shocking”. In Scotland, more than a third (35%) of men are only diagnosed when the disease is classed as stage 4, meaning the cancer has spread to another part of the body – known as metastatic cancer. In London, the figure is 12.5%. Chiara De Biase, director of support and influencing at Prostate Cancer UK, said, "We can’t say for sure what’s behind this gap in diagnosis, but it’s clear that men are more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage in areas with higher rates of PSA blood testing. That means the key way to tackle this is by raising awareness – especially in places like Scotland which are worst-affected." Read full story Source: The Guardian, 12 January 2023 -
News Article
Organ transplants: Black people wait up to six months longer, NHS figures show
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Black patients wait up to six months longer for an organ transplant than the general population, new NHS data shows. The best match comes from someone of the same ethnicity - but only 2% of donors in 2021/22 were black, while black people are 4% of the population. Black families are also less likely to agree to organ donation than white families, the figures show. The NHS says there's an "urgent need" for more people from ethnic minorities to donate. Winnie Andango from NHS Blood and Transplant said, "Black people wait longer because there's less people coming forward to give their organs from their ethnic group. During covid, so many patients were suspended but those have been added back onto the list, and that means if we had less organs for this ethnic minority group, we have even less right now." Health Minister Neil O'Brien said: "We need more people, especially those from black and Asian heritage, to register their organ donation decision and share it with their family so loved ones can follow their wishes." Read full story Source: BBC News, 12 January 2023 -
Content ArticleThis blog for Refinery 29 by journalist Sarah Graham examines the gender health gap, a term used to describe the inequalities in treatment and health outcomes that men and women experience. She talks about the stories relating to sexism and institutional bias she has come across during her time as a health journalist, that result in poor care experiences and outcomes for women. While acknowledging that women should not have to make extra effort to be heard by the health system, Sarah offers tips for women to help them voice their concerns and improve their chances of being listened to by medical professionals.
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Content ArticleEven before the Covid-19 pandemic, rural and remote health services in England faced long-standing workforce, financial and capacity issues. This report by the Nuffield Trust explores the impact the pandemic has had on the delivery of rural and remote health services, highlighting the underlying challenges faced by these services. It outlines how the challenges faced are different for rural areas when compared to more urban areas. The authors also discuss how performance could be monitored to signal the risk of any significant service pressures over the coming months.
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Content ArticleA joint paper by Public Health Wales and Cardiff University has identified a worrying trend of depreciating health inequalities between Wales’ most and least deprived areas. This blog outlines the key findings of the paper, including how the gap in life expectancy increased amongst both men and women between 2002 and 2020. This was primarily caused by large drops in life expectancy in Wales’ most deprived areas, including a sharp decline for women between 2018 and 2020.
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Content ArticleThis briefing from the Centre of Mental Health summarises evidence from six studies on the use of digital and telephone technology to deliver mental health services. It finds that using remote technology can improve access to mental health support for rural communities, disabled people or people needing a specialist service far from home. It has the potential to increase access and choice in mental health care. But it also risks exacerbating inequalities for people who are digitally excluded.
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Content ArticleThe Dahlgren-Whitehead rainbow model outlines determinants of health inequity on multiple hierarchical levels, and suggests that these determinants may interact both within and between levels. Since the model was developed, the involvement of digital technologies has come to have a much greater impact on health inequities. The authors of this article suggest adapting the Dahlgren-Whitehead model to reflect these developments, proposing a model that allows formulating testable hypotheses, interpreting research findings, and developing policy implications against the background of the global spread of digital technologies.
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Content ArticleThis article presents data on how deprivation affects life expectancy and health life expectancy at birth. It highlights a difference in life expectancy of around 9 years for males and 8 years for females between the most and least deprived deciles of society.
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Content ArticleThe prevalence and impact of musculoskeletal conditions (MSK) are not experienced equally across the population. Musculoskeletal conditions are linked to deprivation and age, are more prevalent in women and disproportionately affect some minority ethnic groups. Although the issue of health inequalities is a current area of focus for the NHS, MSK receives a low profile in this work. This presentation by Liz Lingard, Delivery Partner for System Improvement at NHS England (North East & Yorkshire), looks at what drives inequalities in musculoskeletal health, and what can be done to address this.
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Content ArticleThis PowerPoint presentation looks at Solent NHS Trust's approach to reducing barriers faced by minority ethnic people to accessing and using mental health services. It highlights: the conclusions of a 2019 audit the work of the patient engagement and experience team recommendations from service users wider recommendations for mental health services next steps for community engagement training plans community engagement and patient experience future plans key lessons for services.
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News Article
Tories ‘failing women’ as gynaecology waiting times treble in a decade
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The Conservatives have been accused of “failing women” as analysis reveals gynaecology waiting times have trebled in the past decade, with more than 540,000 waiting for NHS care. NHS England data shows that in October 2012, the average waiting time to see a gynaecologist was 4.8 weeks. By October 2022, the most recent month for which figures are available, that figure had increased by 225% to 15.6 weeks. Many of the conditions experienced by women waiting to see a gynaecologist are progressive. Left untreated, they can need more complex or invasive surgery. Thousands are living in extreme pain as a result of the long waits, doctors, health experts and charities told the Guardian. The figures reveal that 38,231 women have been waiting more than a year. Ten years ago there were 15 women in England waiting longer than 12 months – and no one waiting two years. Today, 69 women have been waiting more than 24 months. Dr Ranee Thakar, the president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “This new analysis adds to our own research that gynaecology waiting lists were outstripping other specialities long before the pandemic, and they continue to grow rapidly. “Shockingly, the fact we can now track this pattern back 10 years, shows how long overdue action is to address the unequal growth in waiting lists.” Thakar added: “Women’s health has been consistently deprioritised. Gynaecology waiting times are currently the longest we’ve seen since waiting list targets were introduced, leaving thousands of women with symptoms including extreme pain, heavy menstrual bleeding and incontinence.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 19 December 2022 -
Content ArticleThis guide by the Patient Information Forum (PIF) provides practical support for translating health information. It offers tips on overcoming key challenges and links to useful resources. It is mainly focused on foreign language translation, but the principles can also be applied to British Sign Language and Braille. Research shows that in the UK, up to a million people cannot speak English well or at all, and these people have a lower proportion of good health than English speakers. Providing culturally appropriate, translated health information can help people manage their own health and take part in shared decision making. Translation is consistently raised as a key challenge by health information producers. Please note, you will need to join PIF to view this content.
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EventuntilThe Covid-19 pandemic has laid bare deep-seated health inequalities and the issue is now at the forefront of the minds of people across the health and care system, as they seek to develop strategies aimed at reducing health inequalities at a regional, integrated care system (ICS) and place level. This conference will bring together individuals and teams developing health inequalities strategies. We will discuss the need for universal action at a population health level and targeted action to address issues affecting people facing the worst health outcomes, showing how these two approaches interlink. The conference will also explore opportunities across health and care to tackle health inequalities and learn from local and international leaders about how they are overcoming the challenges of turning evidence into action to make a difference to health inequalities. Register
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Content ArticlePoor mental health is an important and increasingly prevalent issue facing farmers and the farming industry. This article in the journal Sociologia Ruralis seeks to understand the factors that influence the adaptability of support systems for farmers facing mental health issues, especially at a time of crisis. The authors undertook a literature review as well as conducting interviews with 22 mental health support providers and an online survey of people working within support systems and farmers themselves. The study found that support-giving organisations adapted during the pandemic using a range of interventions, but that implementation was affected by organisational and operational challenges such as limited digital training, funding shortfalls, staff trauma, lack of capacity, the rural digital divide, tension between providers and stigma. The authors discuss how landscapes of support for farming mental health can be made more sustainable to deal with future shocks.
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News Article
NHSE estimates mortality rate for autistic people is 51% higher
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Autistic people in England who do not also have a learning disability are approximately 51% more likely to die in a single year compared to the general population, according to a leaked document which estimates the mortality rate for the first time. According to an internal NHS England document, seen by HSJ, the standardised mortality rate between April 2020 and March 2021 was 16.6 deaths per 10,000 for people with autism and no learning disability compared to 11 deaths per 10,000 for the general population. NHSE also determined life expectancy for this group to be 75 years – 5.4 years less than the general population. Dominic Slowie, former national clinical director for learning disability, told HSJ that because of the different ways autism presents itself, it can be difficult to pinpoint causes of premature mortality. “In some cases, people with autism who are severely disabled and can’t communicate their needs in a conventional way are going to have premature mortality for the same reasons that people with a learning disability do, because people do not really understand the level of their need or do not investigate their need in a reasonably adjusted way,” he said. “While, if someone is presenting atypically in their communication, we mustn’t make presumptions – we must make reasonable adjustments to ensure they are investigated and diagnosed in the same way.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 13 December 2022 -
Content ArticleIn the face of record high waiting times for elective care, The King's Fund undertook research to understand the strategies that have been used to reduce waiting times in England and elsewhere in the past 20 years. Elective care waiting lists and waiting times are a product of the fluctuations in and disparities between the demand for and available supply of healthcare. Understanding the root causes of these disparities and taking corrective action to restore balance between demand and supply and optimising the conditions within the health care system is therefore considered key to any strategy to reduce waiting times and sustain them at that level.
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Content ArticleFundamentals of Health Care Improvement: A Guide to Improving Your Patient’s Care, 4th edition, is intended to help health professional learners diagnose, measure, analyse, change and lead improvements in healthcare, with the aim to shape reliable, high-quality systems of care in partnership with patients. Copublished by Joint Commission Resources and the Institute of Healthcare Improvement, this fourth edition includes updated resources, including examples, figures, tables, and tools. New to this edition is a focus on health equity and disparities of care brought to light by the COVID-19 pandemic. This focus explores the relationship between social determinants of health and how improvement methods and skills can help identify and close disparity gaps in systems of care. Also new to this edition is an expanded discussion of effective teamwork and the importance of creating multidisciplinary health care teams that partner with patients and families.
