Catalyzing clinical change: The importance of representation in health care
Second Cohort of the American Heart Association National Hispanic Latino Cardiovascular Collaborative Scholars Program Empowered Hispanic Latino Health Care Leaders
DALLAS, November 16, 2023 — Disparities in health care persist, with Hispanic and Black adults reporting less satisfaction with their interactions with physicians, leading to poorer quality of care and health outcomes.[1],[2],[3] While 19% of people in the U.S. identify as Hispanic, fewer than 7% of physicians do.[4] This lack of representation in the delivery of health care has been shown to exacerbate health disparities among underrepresented groups and is a significant barrier to the Hispanic Latino community achieving optimal health.[5]
In response to this challenge, the American Heart Association, a global force for healthier lives for all, has established the National Hispanic Latino Cardiovascular Collaborative (NHLCC). This initiative specifically unites Hispanic Latino volunteers, professional staff and allied supporters committed to bridging the gap in health care disparities and ensuring that equitable health is a reality for everyone everywhere.
The group launched its second cohort of the National Hispanic Latino Cardiovascular Collaborative Scholars Program during the American Heart Association’s annual Scientific Sessions the world’s preeminent scientific meeting focused on cardiovascular disease. This NHLCC mentorship and professional development program aims to leverage the global gathering of scientific thought leadership to cultivate the next generation of Hispanic Latino researchers and health care leaders, in turn actively addressing longstanding systemic inequities in health care.
“The important of representation within health care and research cannot be overstated. As the American Heart Association strives for equity in cardiovascular health outcomes, we are excited to support the National Hispanic Latino Cardiovascular Collaborative to uplift the voices and experiences of the Hispanic Latino community, in an effort to eliminate health disparities and improve health and well-being,” said Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, the American Heart Association’s chief medical officer for prevention, and the executive staff sponsor of the National Hispanic Latino Cardiovascular Collaborative.
Scientific Sessions 2023 also featured the inaugural NHLCC Symposium. The symposium, Scientific Sessions’ first ever session dedicated solely to Hispanic Latino health, focused on leading community figures in medicine, clinical research and the social sciences. The session enabled meaningful dialogue about the state of Hispanic Latino health and health care in the United States, while examining emerging trends and identifying strategies for cultivating the next generation of Hispanic Latino health care leaders.
Scientific studies confirm that diversity among nurses, physicians and health care teams enhances overall patient outcomes and dismantles cultural barriers.[6] Specific research conducted by Penn State University emphasizes the significance of addressing implicit biases within health systems and diversifying the physician workforce to better meet patients' preferences.[7] ,[8]
The National Hispanic Latino Cardiovascular Collaborative also serves as an advisory group to the larger Association, with a specific focus directive to assist the organization in achieving its 2024 health equity impact goal.
To learn more about the Collaborative and how to become a member, visit: professional.heart.org/NHLCC.
Additional Resources
- Multimedia is available in the right column of the release link.
- Spanish news release
- AHA President’s Advisory: Structural racism causes poor health, premature death from heart disease and stroke
- Status of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in Hispanics/Latinos in the United States | Circulation (ahajournals.org)
- AHA 2024 Health Equity Impact Goal
- For Spanish-language news stories, visit: heart.org/Noticias
- English-language YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and X
- Follow AHA/ASA news on X @HeartNews
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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
[1] KFF/The Undefeated Survey on Race and Health - Main Findings - 9557 | KFF
[2] Black Americans’ views about health disparities, experiences with health care| Pew Research Center
[3] Jetty, A., Jabbarpour, Y., Pollack, J. et al. Patient-Physician Racial Concordance Associated with Improved Healthcare Use and Lower Healthcare Expenditures in Minority Populations. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 9, 68–81 (2022).
[4] Diversity in Healthcare and the Importance of Representation | usa.edu
[5] DISPARITIES IN HEALTHCARE - 2021 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report - NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
[6] Why Cultural Diversity Is Important In Patient Care – excel-medical.com
[7] Cultural Competence and Ethnic Diversity in Healthcare
[8] Diversity in Healthcare and the Importance of Representation | usa.edu
Hospitals serving large Black, Hispanic populations have fewer resources for cancer care
UCLA study shows these facilities are much less likely than others to offer the full range of core cancer services
Key takeaways
- UCLA researchers looked at nearly 4,400 hospitals across the U.S., including 864 with high numbers of Black and Hispanic patients.
- Hospitals serving Black, Hispanic and other racial and ethnic minority patients were significantly less likely than other hospitals to have access to core cancer services like PET/CT scanners, robotic surgery and palliative care.
- The researchers say further work is need to understand how geographic, linguistic, cultural, cost and discrimination factors affect these cancer care disparities.
Among the nation’s hospitals, those that serve high numbers of Black and Hispanic patients are far less likely to have advanced medical equipment and critical services that have been shown to boost the quality and effectiveness of cancer care, according to a study led by investigators at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The findings, published today in JAMA Oncology, highlight the importance of ensuring accessibility across diverse health care facilities to equitable and quality care for all patients diagnosed with cancer.
“When it comes to treating people with cancer, we know adequate resources are essential for quality care,” said Dr. Gracie Himmelstein, a resident physician in the department of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and first author of the study. “And we know what hospital you go to has a big impact on sort of what care you get. A big piece of why that is has to do with the resources that are available at those hospitals.”
The researchers analyzed patient data from hospitals across the U.S. that accept Medicare and Medicaid, and they obtained hospital-reported data from the 2020 American Hospital Association Survey. Their analysis included 4,373 hospitals, 432 of which serve high numbers of Black patients and 432 that serve a large population of Hispanic patients (with 62 of these also serving a high number of Black patients).
The team looked at the availability of 34 cancer-related services at these facilities, including core services like hospice care and pain management, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, robotic surgery, diagnostic radiology, patient support groups, and tobacco-cessation programs.
They found that hospitals serving high numbers of Black, Hispanic, and other racial and ethnic minority patients were significantly less likely to offer all the core services.
Among these core services, 13 significant disparities emerged. These included access to PET/CT scanners, palliative care, esophageal cancer ablation services, several radiotherapy techniques, diagnostic radiology services, treatments like chemotherapy and robotic surgery, tobacco treatment programs, support groups and acute inpatient psychiatric consultations.
“Many of these services are indispensable for offering top-quality cancer treatment,” said senior study author Dr. Patricia Ganz, a professor of medicine at the Geffen School of Medicine and director of the Center for Cancer Prevention and Control Research at the Jonsson Cancer Center. “Access to a PET/CT machine, for instance, plays a pivotal role in precise cancer diagnosis and monitoring, while palliative care services are instrumental in improving the overall quality of life for patients. Similarly, the capability to perform ablations for esophageal cancer can significantly impact treatment outcomes and survival rates.”
The lack of tobacco treatment programs available for people of color was also surprising, Himmelstein noted, since racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to have tobacco-related cancers.
“The study’s findings shed light on the uneven distribution of crucial resources in different health care settings, which can alter access to timely and appropriate screening, treatment planning, cancer care delivery and outcomes,” Himmelstein said.
The researchers said that further work is needed to understand the interplay between these disparities and the role of geographic, linguistic and cost barriers, as well as cultural beliefs and discrimination.
JOURNAL
JAMA Oncology
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