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Showing results for tags 'Health Disparities'.
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News Article
Midwives call women in labour ‘Asian princesses’ amid ‘hostile’ environment fears
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The NHS Race and Health Observatory has raised fundamental concerns about racism towards maternity patients after several cases have come to light in recent months, including midwives branding patients as “Asian princesses”. The watchdog’s intervention follows regulators identifying patterns of racist and discriminatory behaviour at the maternity departments of two large hospital trusts and a smaller general hospital in the last six months. The observatory’s CEO Habib Naqvi told HSJ he was “deeply concerned” by the seriousness of the issues raised. He added that “discriminatory behaviours and ways of working… [can] lead to hostile and unsupportive learning environments… impact patient care and safety, and also seriously undermine the NHS’s goal of attracting and retaining its workforce”. Examples given included the term “Asian princess” being used by midwives in reference to brown-skinned women requesting pain relief during labour. The students also described a “disregard” from some midwives towards black and brown-skinned women, particularly where English was not their first language. It was also reported when Asian women verbalised their pain during labour, some midwives responded with “Oh, they are all like this”, while additional derogatory comments were made towards asylum seekers, that “they are playing the system”, the NHSE team’s report said. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 28 June 2024 -
Content Article
Welsh Health Equity Solutions Platform
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Health inequalities
The Welsh Health Equity Solutions Platform is part of the Welsh Health Equity Status Report initiative (WHESRi), which supports a healthier, more equal and prosperous Wales. The platform is a gateway to data, evidence, health economics and modelling, policies, good practice, innovative tools and practical solutions to help improve population wellbeing and reduce the health equity gap in Wales and beyond. It is structured around an innovative WHO framework of ‘Five Essential Conditions’ for healthy prosperous lives for all. The platform will link with and feed into a WHO health equity gateway, providing an example and inspiration for countries to learn and follow, as well as to contribute and share. -
Content ArticleAlmost half of England’s population is male, yet inequalities in men’s health seldom get specific attention. The women’s health strategy for England shone a light on the health care needs of girls and women through their life course, highlighting areas specific to their health – such as maternity and the menopause – and inequalities in health outcomes. But the wide, and widening, health inequalities experienced by men also require focus. Related reading on the hub: 11 top picks: Men's health Why harmful gender stereotypes surrounding men’s approaches towards their feelings need challenging
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Content Article
Age UK: It’s a struggle to be seen (May 2024)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Older people
Results of Age UK’s research into the experience of people aged 50 and over accessing health and social care services. This research into older people’s experiences of health and care services has revealed the extent of the challenges they face in accessing and receiving them. These challenges are confronted at a time in their lives when people are likely to be most reliant on such services to keep them well, independent, connected and safe. People from across the age spectrum, from 50 to over 100 years old, told Age UK about difficulties in accessing primary care services, including GPs and dentists. Health problems that could have been quickly and easily resolved have worsened through long waits for appointments and treatment. In some cases, older people have given up seeking treatment and care as they had lost hope of being able to see a clinician at all. For those of working age the problems in accessing appointments, referrals and treatment have had an impact on their ability to maintain good health, to remain in work and to care for others. Lack of access to support for carers has led to deteriorations in their physical and mental health. -
News Article
Millions of over-50s in the UK fear they can't access healthcare
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Millions of people over the age of 50 in the UK have concerns about struggling to access healthcare, according to new analysis by Age UK. It comes as one elderly and disabled patient admitted he cannot afford to wait on hold to his GP practice for an appointment for long due to rising phone bill costs. A new report by Age UK – It’s a Struggle to be Seen – analysed the results of a representative poll, conducted for the charity by Kantar, of 2,621 UK adults over 50, as well as its own online survey which attracted more than 17,000 responses. The report claims less than half (48%) of people over 50 are confident their medical issue would be solved by NHS services. Some 49% – which Age UK equates to 12.6 million people – were concerned about their ability to access their GP, while 42% were worried about access to hospital appointments. The same proportion expressed concerns about access to emergency departments, the charity said. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “Sadly, for some older people, healthcare delayed means healthcare denied, because they do not have time on their side. “Our new analysis highlights just how many are being subjected to distress and, in some cases, enduring pain, because of their difficulties in accessing the GP services that they need.” Read full story Source: Medscape. 17 June 2024 -
Content Article
Learning Disability Week is the third week of June every year. The event, organised by the charity Mencap, is an opportunity to raise awareness about different learning disabilities and challenge some of the barriers people who have learning disabilities face. According to Mencap, a learning disability is a person's reduced intellectual ability, meaning they can face difficulty with everyday activities. People with a learning disability can sometimes need extra support to learn new skills, understand complicated information or interact with other people. It can be particularly challenging for people with learning disabilities and their families when accessing healthcare services. To mark Learning Disability Week, we are sharing 11 resources, blogs and reports from the hub for patients, their families and healthcare professionals on breaking down these barriers. -
Content ArticleIn most developed countries, substantial disparities exist in access to mental health services for black and minority ethnic (BME) populations. This study sought to determine perceived barriers to accessing mental health services among people from these backgrounds to inform the development of effective and culturally acceptable services to improve equity in healthcare. It found that people from BME backgrounds require considerable mental health literacy and practical support to raise awareness of mental health conditions and combat stigma. There is a need for improving information about services and access pathways. Healthcare providers need relevant training and support in developing effective communication strategies to deliver individually tailored and culturally sensitive care. Improved engagement with people from BME backgrounds in the development and delivery of culturally appropriate mental health services could facilitate better understanding of mental health conditions and improve access.
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Content ArticleIn this JAMA Internal Medicine article, doctors Jessica Holtzman and Rita Redberg argue that for decades, women have been inadequately represented in clinical trials of drugs and devices evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Looking at existing evidence on the issue, they identify barriers and improvements to women's representation in trials. They argue that the FDA needs to take action by declining to review medical devices and drugs if the representation of women does not reflect the intended use population.
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Content ArticleMore than four million people have type 2 diabetes in the UK and the use of new technologies is becoming essential for effective diabetes care and patient empowerment. This report by Public Policy Projects (PPP) highlights the benefits of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for people with type 2 diabetes who use insulin, but finds that access remains limited due to stigma and financial barriers. The report contains findings that emerged during the second roundtable of PPP’s System-wide Strategies for Better Diabetes Care programme, which is designed to identify opportunities for improvements and transformation in diabetes care. The roundtable was attended by more than 30 sector leaders from primary and secondary care, pharmacy and integrated care system (ICS) and key industry representatives. The overarching theme was the opportunities and challenges brought by CGM technology to type 2 insulin users and other patient groups. The report finds that primary care staff are under-resourced to deal with the number of new guidelines published, and this is influencing willingness to adopt and push this technology. Also, financial constraints and stigma around the visibility of the sensor are slowing down the effective rollout of the technology across the UK.
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Content ArticleThe United States continues to have the highest rate of maternal deaths of any high-income nation, despite a decline since the Covid-19 pandemic. And within the U.S., the rate is by far the highest for Black women. Most of these deaths — over 80% — are likely preventable. With policies and systems in place to support women during the perinatal period, several high-income countries report virtually no maternal deaths. As policymakers and health care delivery system leaders in the U.S. seek ways to end the nation’s maternal mortality crisis, these countries may offer viable solutions. This brief updates an earlier Commonwealth Fund study of differences in maternal mortality, maternal care workforce composition, and access to postpartum care and social protections between the U.S. and other high-income countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. In this edition, we have also included data on Chile, Japan, and Korea — all high-income countries with universal healthcare systems.
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Content ArticleThe doctor-patient relationship should be immune from bias, but growing evidence challenges doctors’ objectivity. In this study in Science, the authors analysed vast data from US military emergency departments, where active-duty doctors and patients have military ranks and some patients outrank their assigned doctor. The study found that patients who outranked their doctors enjoyed more clinician effort and better health outcomes because more resources were inequitably invested in their care. The results also showed that White physicians consistently put less effort into caring for Black patients. The authors suggest that power-driven variation in behaviour can harm the most vulnerable populations in health care settings.
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EventThere is currently remarkable consensus across think tanks, institutions, and political parties that a move towards a preventive state is key to creating a healthier nation. A preventive approach can help people live healthily for longer while also addressing many of the problems within the health and care system, allowing for proactive population health management and tackling of health inequalities. Creating a healthier nation needs a collaboration between people, places, the NHS, and businesses, as well as government. If the new government wants to improve the health of the nation, it should create an approach to health that spans all government departments, includes actions to reduce health inequalities, and implements measures that help people to make healthier choices. At this in-person event, the case is presented for how prevention can create a healthier nation, why it is particularly important now, and propose tangible actions for making this shift at the national, system and local levels. Join the King's Fund to understand why prevention is key to supporting healthier lives and how it can be made a reality. Join leaders and experts from across health and care, thinks tanks and politicians to explore: why moving towards a preventive state is particularly important now given the context of widening health inequalities and stalling of life expectancy how to make the shift to prevention a reality at national, system, and local levels the importance of measuring preventive expenditure the role of prevention when taking a population health approach the link between health and housing and how healthier communities can support a wider approach to prevention. how place-based approaches to prevention are key. Register
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Content ArticleThe maternity disadvantage assessment tool (MatDAT) is a standardised tool for assessing social complexity during maternity care based on women and birthing people’s broad social needs. Developed by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), it provides a guide for midwives to identify the woman’s care level (Level 1–4) and develop a personalised care and support plan (PCSP), as well as facilitating smooth communication with the multidisciplinary team. The tool and the MatDAT Planning Guide also support maternity services to plan and allocate resources to level of care pathways.
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News ArticleMore hospital patients with learning disabilities will die if politicians do not tackle the “devastating collapse” in specialist nurse numbers, a leading charity and a union have warned. The number of specialist learning disability nurses working in the NHS has dropped by 44 per cent over the course of the Conservative party’s time in government, a new analysis by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has revealed. The nursing union found a 36 per cent drop in applicants for specialist nursing degrees, while applicants are so low some universities have stopped funding courses altogether, according to a report shared exclusively with The Independent. The RCN and the charity Mencap have warned specialist nurses are vital in keeping patients with learning disabilities in hospital safe, as they are trained to spot life-threatening illnesses, such as sepsis, which can present differently. Dan Scorer, head of policy at Mencap, said: “Learning disability nurses have that in-depth training and understanding about the complexity of how people with a learning disability can present, and about how they will show they are experiencing pain. They’ve got vital expertise and insights to make sure that we don’t miss things.” He said the government must increase the number of training places available, and warned some universities have stopped courses altogether. He added: “I think the government removing bursaries for nurse training was pretty devastating. The impact of that was really significant, and whilst that’s been partially reversed, it significantly impacted the undergraduate training capacity that was available.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 4 June 2024
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Content ArticleOver 65% of all new drugs undergo expedited drug approval in the USA, and these drugs have been linked to a higher prevalence of adverse drug reactions, raising concerns about safety. It is well documented that women generally report a higher frequency of adverse drug reactions than men, but whether women have more adverse drug reactions than men from drugs approved via expedited pathways is unknown. This brief Lancet article outlines the findings of a systematic review that assessed sex differences in data reporting and highlighted a knowledge gap as to whether women face a higher risk of harm through expedited approval pathways than men.
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News Article
Women with painful condition 'ignored' by doctors
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Young women from West Yorkshire have criticised a "lack of support" available for a painful and debilitating medical condition. The three patients, all in their 20s, said they either struggled to get a diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) confirmed despite numerous GP appointments, or were not given effective treatment. PCOS causes painful and irregular periods, and affects up to one in 10 women in the UK. The NHS said it "strongly advised" any woman concerned about their health to contact their GP. Alex Offer, 24, from Leeds, said it took nine years before she was told she had PCOS after doctors "ignored" her concerns from the age of 15. One GP dismissed her symptoms as being caused by stress and anxiety, she said. Laaraib Khan, 24, also from Leeds, reported a similar experience. Although she received her diagnosis at the age of 13 after her mother pushed her GP to take her complaints seriously, in the past 11 years she said she had been given "little support" and was left to manage the syndrome herself. "You have to lean on other women who are going through it rather than going to your GP, who will most likely turn you away," she said. Research by the charity Verity PCOS UK found that 60% of women with the disorder have struggled to get a diagnosis, while 95% said they had encountered problems trying to access NHS support. Read full story Source: BBC News, 3 June 2024 -
Content ArticleIn its manifesto ahead of the 2024 UK general election, the NHS Race & Health Observatory calls for a unification of efforts towards eradicating racial and ethnic health disparities in the nation’s healthcare system.
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EventuntilDespite being one of the largest economies, the UK suffered the third worst Covid-19 death toll in Western Europe, largely due to entrenched inequalities that were exposed and worsened by the pandemic. The Unequal Pandemic film, executively produced by Debbie Abrahams MP and Good Guys Productions, draws to light the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on marginalised communities. This pre-release screening and panel event, created in collaboration with Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK and UCL, provides an opportunity for policy makers, bereaved families, experts and all with an interest in protecting lives in the future, to take stock of what went wrong, and what can and must be done to make sure the UK is better prepared when the next pandemic hits. We hope this event will allow us to gather and learn from the experiences of experts, government workers and community members, and help us forge a practical path towards pandemic preparedness. Watch The Unequal Pandemic Film trailer. Chair Prof Ibrahim Abubakar, Pro-Provost (Health) at UCL and Dean for the Faculty of Population Health Sciences Speakers Prof Sir Michael Marmot, Director, UCL Institute of Health Equity Debbie Abrahams MP, Executive Producer of 'The Unequal Pandemic' Lobby Akinnola, Spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK whose personal story is featured in the film Prof Naomi Fulop, Professor of Health Care Organisation and Management, UCL and a Director, Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK
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News Article
Local control of NHS screening could jeopardise patient safety
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Patients could be put at risk by plans to allow local NHS bodies to oversee the quality of health screening programmes for diseases such as breast and bowel cancer, experts have suggested. At the moment, NHS England runs the Screening Quality Assurance Service (SQAS) to make sure local organisations comply with national standards, are safe and can be subject to inspections. There are 11 national screening programmes in England, including those for breast, cervical and bowel cancer, plus antenatal and newborn screening, abdominal aortic aneurysm and diabetic eye screening. At the moment, screening programmes must report all safety incidents to the SQAS and the SQAS inspectors visit local sites to pick up urgent issues and make recommendations. Now, a report in the British Medical Journal questions plans by NHS England to allow local bodies to have more control. Sue Cohen, former national lead of screening quality assurance at Public Health England, told the BMJ that devolving responsibility for SQAS to local organisations would be a “retrograde” step. She pointed to previous issues, such as in Kent where a lack of oversight of a cervical screening programme led to women with cancer not being picked up. She said: “If you don’t have a quality assurance service that is properly resourced and has that ability to keep a national view, you will simply not have the oversight of the system and there is a bigger risk of incidents going undetected.” Read full story Source: Medscape News, 22 May 2024 -
Content ArticleHome dying is a policy indicator of ‘quality dying’ in many high-income countries, but there is evidence that people living in areas of higher deprivation have a reduced likelihood of dying at home. However, there is limited research which centres the views and experiences of people living with both socioeconomic deprivation and serious advanced illness. This study used visual methods to address this gap in knowledge, focusing on barriers to and experiences of home dying for people experiencing poverty and deprivation in the UK. The authors used photovoice and professional documentary photography between April 2021 and March 2023 with eight participants with serious advanced illness, six of whom had died by the end of the study. They also worked with four bereaved family members to create digital stories.
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Content ArticleIn Birmingham, eight out of 10 Somali children live in ‘poor’ households with low levels of economic activity and high rates of mental health issues, such as PTSD. In the UK, six in 10 (59%) people in the Somali community live in overcrowded accommodation, compared to fewer than one in 10 (8%) of the overall population. Meanwhile, studies show that many Somali people find it difficult to access health and social care services, due to language and socio-economic barriers. Suad Duale is a community activist, clinician, mother and researcher who grew up as a Somali refugee in Birmingham. In this blog for The King's Fund, she describes how unfair treatment of the Somali community leads to a collective lack of trust in professionals, particularly in the health system. She describes the issues contributing to the disparities faced by the community, including a lack of people from the Somali community in leadership roles who are able to advocate for the needs of the community. She describes the work of Dream Chaser Youth Club in Birmingham, where she volunteers by acting as a link to help people from the Somali community connect with health and care services.
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Content ArticleThis BMJ long-read article argues that health is going in the wrong direction in the UK, and reversing the trend requires political and societal commitment to deal with the underlying causes. It proposes evidence-based solutions to the worsening health and widening inequalities in the UK through action on the social determinants of health.
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Content ArticleThis report from Public Policy Projects (PPP) calls for changes in the use of approved medicines to improve diabetes care in the UK. It is the first in a series looking at specific areas of diabetes care in the UK.
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Content ArticleWomen with learning disabilities are less likely to access cervical and breast cancer screening when compared to the general population. In this study, the Social Ecological Model (SEM) was used to examine the inequalities faced by women with learning disabilities in accessing cervical and breast cancer screening in England. The study highlighted the following barriers to access for women with learning disabilities:Women with learning disabilities may lack knowledge of cancer symptoms and cancer screening, as well as being scared about the process and getting the results. The attitudes of family and paid carers towards screening may influence women with learning disabilities' decisions as to whether screening is seen as favourable; support and training may ensure unbiased perspectives. Barriers associated with how cancer screening programmes are designed, such as postal invitations which assumes an ability to read. Screening staff need to be aware of the general needs of people with learning disabilities, such as the benefits of easy-to-read documents. Multidisciplinary working is required so reasonable adjustments can be embedded into cancer screening pathways.The authors suggest that multiple methods to reduce the inequalities faced by women with learning disabilities are needed, and that these can be achieved through reasonable adjustments. Embedding reasonable adjustments can support women with learning disabilities in making an informed decision and accessing screening if they choose to. This may result in women with learning disabilities getting a timely cancer diagnosis.
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Content Article
Healthcare disparities in the US (21 March 2024)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Health inequalities
Healthcare access, quality of care received and social factors such as income, housing and food insecurity, all impact the health outcomes of US residents. Growing evidence has pointed to wellness gaps and disparities among the different racial and ethnic populations that make up the country. This research by Innerbody takes a closer look at: what groups are the most uninsured across the US healthcare quality and life expectancy across races.
