J Natl Med Assoc
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Colorism is a well documented phenomenon affecting the health, income, education, and psychological wellbeing of African Americans with differing skin tones. There is little research, however, around how colorism may operate among intersectional racial sexual minorities, who additionally face both racism and homophobia, despite evidence that different forms of oppression interact with each other and may have modulating effects in this population. This study aims to clarify the effect colorism has on a variety of life and health outcomes in young black men who have sex with men (YBMSM). ⋯ The effects of colorism did not appear to have a significant role among this population across a wide set of social and health domains.
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Research on skin color inequality is growing, but few studies examine the health care context. ⋯ Aggregating trust items and relying on only self-reported race may produce false conclusions about a lack of racial differences. Skin color is associated with complex concerns about physicians withholding treatment, which may reduce shared decision-making and treatment adherence. Skin color should be tracked to better capture health care experiences and population health.
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Editorial
Strengthening the postpartum transition of care to address racial disparities in maternal health.
Maternal morbidity and mortality, important indicators of healthcare quality both nationally and internationally, have gained increasing public attention in the United States (U. S.). The U. ⋯ Medical complications, including cardiovascular disease and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, remain leading contributors to disparities in maternal outcomes including pregnancy-related deaths. However, an under-explored opportunity for improvement is the failure to transition from obstetrical to primary care, which limits optimizing postpartum health. Health system approaches, community-based interventions, and policy solutions that facilitate transitions of care may be critical to eliminating persistent disparities in maternal outcomes.
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Little is known about how pre-resettlement experiences affect refugees' uptake of cancer screenings. The objective of this study was to characterize Somali Bantu and Karen experiences with cancer and cancer screenings prior to and subsequent to resettlement in Buffalo, NY in order to inform engagement by health providers. ⋯ Our findings suggest the need for culturally-relevant cancer education that incorporates the life course experiences and addresses logistical barriers in linking individuals with screening, to be complemented by trauma-informed care approaches by healthcare providers.