Diversity, equity and inclusion have implications for pediatric patient care and the rheumatology workforce.
Images in Rheumatology Educational Materials Do Not Depict All Patients
“It’s crazy! None of the pictures online look like me!” a young Black woman with systemic lupus earythematosus (SLE) exclaimed. We could only affirm her observation and agree that it was unfair. Like many patients with SLE, our patient was diagnosed at a young age and suffered severe complications that required kidney transplantation before her…
Medical Education Must Answer the Call for Diversity
Civil unrest in response to racism is a call for realignment of priorities in all aspects of society, including medical education. Hospital preparedness demands training in the treatment of victims of pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets, as well as planning for lockdown procedures in healthcare facilities and medical schools. Beyond logistics though, events…
Race Matters in COVID-19 Outcomes for Patients with Rheumatic Disease
COVID-19-related deaths are significantly higher in communities with higher proportions of Black, Latinx, Asian American or other racial/ethnic minorities.
Conquering Systemic Racism in Medicine
2020 has not only borne witness to a global pandemic, but also to increasing fervor in the fight for racial equity. In a wave of opposition to the systemic racism in the U.S., people have been in the streets demonstrating and protesting against social injustice and have taken to social media to promote political action….
An Important Message from the ACR on the Death of George Floyd
The American College of Rheumatology is deeply troubled by the recent events surrounding the death of George Floyd. This tragedy is the latest in a long history of senseless killings of people of color. We recognize that racial inequality is an invisible undercurrent impacting the lives of many of our members and patients, and we…
Race May Not Be a Risk Factor for Giant Cell Arteritis
Past research has identified being of Northern European descent as a risk factor, among others such as age, sex and HLA DRB1, for developing giant cell arteritis (GCA). But new research casts doubts on this idea, finding that rates of biopsy proven GCA may not differ by race…
Cardiovascular Disease Rate Differs Between SLE Patients of Different Races, Ethnicities
A recent epidemiologic study of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) investigated racial and ethnic differences in the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Among SLE patients enrolled in Medicaid, the risk for myocardial infarction (MI) was lower in Hispanics and Asians compared with whites, and the risk of stroke was higher in blacks and Hispanics…
Studies Highlight Gender, Racial Inequalities in Medical Profession
(Reuters Health)—Women and minorities face more barriers to getting ahead in their medical careers, both early in training and later on, researchers say. In one study, Dr. Julie Boiko of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues found that women are underrepresented among speakers at grand rounds. This was true for all but two…
Race, Gender May Affect U.S. Doctor Paychecks
(Reuters Health)—When it comes to U.S. doctors’ paychecks, race and gender may be factors, according to a new study. “Black male physicians earn substantially less than white male physicians, while white and black females have comparable salaries,” says senior author Dr. Anupam Jena, of Harvard Medical School in Boston. “Black and white female physicians both…