Hospitals: One Reason COVID Is More Lethal for Black Americans

By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter FRIDAY, June 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Black COVID-19 patients in the United States are more likely to die than white patients, but there would be 10% fewer deaths among Black patients if they could get the same level of hospital care as white people, according to new research. … Read more

JAMA Editor Steps Down Amid AMA Shakeup

June 1, 2021 — Howard Bauchner, MD, will step down as editor-in-chief of JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association — one of the most widely circulated medical journals in the world — after fallout from a February podcast and tweet about structural racism in medicine. The announcement comes just days after a … Read more

AMA Announces Major Commitment to Health Equity

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May 13, 2021 — The American Medical Association has released a 3-year strategic plan to counter longstanding health inequities that hurt marginalized communities and to improve the AMA’s own performance in this regard.  The 82-page report, which was created by the association’s Center for Health Equity, argues for both internal changes at the AMA … Read more

Commentary: After Chauvin Verdict, Time to Get to Work

April 22, 2021 — On Tuesday, April 20, the country braced for the impact of the verdict in the murder trial of George Floyd. If we are completely honest, the country — and particularly the African-American community — had significant doubts the jury would render a guilty verdict, despite overwhelming evidence presented by prosecutors. … Read more

Top JAMA Editor Out Amid Podcast Investigation

March 25, 2021 — One of the top research journals in the United States has placed its editor in chief on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into a controversial podcast episode that critics labeled as racist. The American Medical Association’s Journal Oversight Committee announced that Howard Bauchner, MD, is on leave beginning at … Read more

Fallout from JAMA Podcast Continues

March 10, 2021 — One of the country’s top medical research journals is facing calls for an investigation after a controversial — and since deleted — podcast questioned whether structural racism exists. More than 2,000 people have signed a petition on Change.org calling for an investigation at JAMA — the journal of the American … Read more

JAMA Podcast on Racism in Medicine Faces Backlash

This story was updated March 5.  March 4, 2021 — A 16-minute podcast from JAMA: TheJournal of the American Medical Association that attempts to discuss structural racism in the U.S. health care system has stirred conversation on social media about the handling and promotion of the episode. Published on Feb. 23, the … Read more

Lawsuit in US accuses Amazon of ‘systemic’ racism in corporate offices

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A lawsuit filed in US federal court on Monday accused Amazon of keeping women and Black employees down while publicly talking up the need for diversity and social justice. Charlotte Newman, who is Black and heads Underrepresented Founder Startup Business Development at Amazon Web Services, said in the suit she has been harassed, sexually assaulted, … Read more

Legacy Racist Mortgage ‘Redlining’, Fewer Green Spaces

THURSDAY, Jan. 28, 2021 (HealthDay News) — A racist mortgage appraisal practice used in the United States decades ago has resulted in less green space in some urban neighborhoods today, researchers say.         Those so-called “redlined” neighborhoods have higher rates of air and noise pollution, racial segregation and poverty — all of … Read more