Author Interviews, Gender Differences, Mental Health Research, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 07.12.2025

[caption id="attachment_71691" align="alignleft" width="150"]MedicalResearch.com Interview with:Alexa T. Diianni, MBS Department of Medical Education Geisinger College of Health Sciences Scranton, PA 19409 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? During a previous study, my research team and I examined the financial conflicts of interest (COIs) between industry and academia- namely those that exist between authors of The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), and industry (1). The DSM is a diagnostic tool widely used for the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders, and is thus of interest in assessing COIs (1,2). We previously found that authors of the DSM-5-TR had received over $14.2m in undisclosed payments from industry (1). Our current study examines the gender and geographic disparities of the DSM-5-TR authors, in relation to these payments. While previous investigations have evaluated financial COIs in recent editions of the DSM (3,4), the demographic information of its authors has not yet been examined. Equitable representation of DSM authors is paramount as this manual serves a diverse population across the United States and beyond. It is important that the authorship of this manual be reflective of the population in which it serves, as there have been reported differences in both the type and prevalence of psychiatric care sought out by gender, as well as varying clinical treatment by geographic location (5-8). MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Of the 225 physicians that were identified as contributors to the DSM-5-TR task force, panels, and cross-cutting review groups, 116 contributors met the inclusion criteria of being a US-based physician with an active National Provider Identifier. Of these included individuals, 69.8% were men and 30.2% were women. Just three states accounted for 43.9% of contributors (New York, 17.2%; California, 14.7%; Massachusetts, 12.1%), while twenty-three states received no author representation. Of the total $14.6m in industry payments received by contributors, $13.2m (91.8%) was received by male contributors. Male contributors thus received an average of $287k in payment, while female contributors received $72k. MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report? Due to the prevalent use of the DSM, it is important that transparency regarding financial conflicts of interest exists, with COIs minimized moving forward to avoid implicit bias and pro-industry thought (1,9-15). Furthermore, it is important that future editions of the DSM be representative of the population in which it serves. This can be attained by selecting an adequate proportion of male and female contributors for the DSM, which may provide more robust perspectives on current diagnoses. Additionally, representation of contributors from all regions across the US will allow for a more diverse and informed perspective on diagnostic criteria, allowing for improved public health and patient care within the United States. MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study? As gender and geographic disparities were shown to be significant through this study, I believe it would be interesting to address additional areas of demographic disparities among authors. Additional areas to examine may include non-US-based physicians, non-MD/DO authors, as well as ethnic and racial disparities among authors. Finally, similar studies may be applied to additional clinical and diagnostic tools. Diagnostic manuals, such as the DSM, written by a diverse set of individuals, would provide unique perspectives that best reflect the population as a whole, and in turn, benefit patient care. For this reason, it is important that diagnostic manuals, such as the DSM, include a diverse set of authors that can provide adequate input regarding the patient population it serves. MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? This research received no external funding. First author (AD) is employed by PerkinElmer, working on assignment at GlaxoSmithKline (2023-Present), outside of the submitted work; Last author (BP) contributed to an osteoarthritis research team supported by Pfizer and Eli Lilly (2019-21) and received grants from the Pennsylvania Academic Clinical Research Center, outside of the submitted work. New Paper Diianni AT, Davis LC, Piper BJ. Gender and geographic disparities among DSM-5-TR authors in relation to financial conflicts of interest and industry payments: cross-sectional analysis. BMJ Mental Health. 2025;28:e301913. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjment-2025-301913 References: 1. Davis LC, Diianni AT, Drumheller SR, Elansary NN, D’Ambrozio GN, Herrawi F, Piper BJ, Cosgrove L. Undisclosed financial conflicts of interest in DSM-5-TR: cross sectional analysis. BMJ. 2024;384. 2. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. 2022. 3. Cosgrove L, Krimsky S, Vijayaraghavan M, Schneider L. Financial ties between DSM-IV panel members and the pharmaceutical industry. Psychother Psychosom 2006;75:154-60. doi:10.1159/000091772. Pmid:16636630 4. Cosgrove L, Krimsky S. A comparison of DSM-IV and DSM-5 panel members’ financial associations with industry: a pernicious problem persists. PLoS Med2012;9:e1001190. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001190. Pmid:22427747 5. Piper BJ, Ogden CL, Simoyan OM, Chung DY, Caggiano JF, Nichols SD, et al. (2018) Trends in use of prescription stimulants in the United States and Territories, 2006 to 2016. PLoS ONE 13(11): e0206100. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206100 6. Bareis N, Olfson M, Wall M, Stroup TS. Variation in Psychotropic Medication Prescription for Adults With Schizophrenia in the United States. Psychiatric Services. American Psychiatric Publishing; 2022;73(5):492–500. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202000932 7. Tedstone Doherty D, Kartalova-O'Doherty Y. Gender and self-reported mental health problems: predictors of help seeking from a general practitioner. Br J Health Psychol. 2010;15(Pt 1):213-28. 8. Terlizzi EP, Schiller, Jeannine S. Mental health treatment among adults Aged 18–44: United States, 2019–2021. Report. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2022. 9. Grande D, Frosch DL, Perkins AW, Kahn BE. Effect of exposure to small pharmaceutical promotional items on treatment preferences. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(9):887-893. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2009.64 10. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Standards for Developing Trustworthy Clinical Practice Guidelines. In: Graham R, Mancher M, Miller Wolman D, et al., eds. Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust. Washington (DC). National Academies Press, 2011, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209539/?report=classic, doi:10.17226/13058. 11. Wazana A. Physicians and the pharmaceutical industry: is a gift ever just a gift? JAMA 2000;283:373-80. doi:10.1001/jama.283.3.373. Pmid:10647801 12. Moore DA, Tanlu L, Bazerman MH. Conflict of interest and the intrusion of bias. Judgm Decis Mak 2010;5:37-53. doi:10.1017/S1930297500002023 13. Dana J, Loewenstein G. A social science perspective on gifts to physicians from industry. JAMA 2003;290:252-5. doi:10.1001/jama.290.2.252. Pmid:12851281 14. Nejstgaard CH, Bero L, Hróbjartsson A, et al. Association between conflicts of interest and favourable recommendations in clinical guidelines, advisory committee reports, opinion pieces, and narrative reviews: systematic review. BMJ 2020;371:m4234. doi:10.1136/bmj.m4234. Pmid:33298430 15. Thompson DF. The challenge of conflict of interest in medicine. Z Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes 2009;103:136-40. doi:10.1016/j.zefq.2009.02.021. Pmid:19554887 Alexa T. Diianni[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Alexa T. Diianni, MBS Department of Medical Education Geisinger College of Health Sciences Scranton, PA 19409 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: During a previous study, my research team and I examined the financial conflicts of interest (COIs) between industry and academia- namely those that exist between authors of The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), and industry (1). The DSM is a diagnostic tool widely used for the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders, and is thus of interest in assessing COIs (1,2). We previously found that authors of the DSM-5-TR had received over $14.2m in undisclosed payments from industry (1). Our current study examines the gender and geographic disparities of the DSM-5-TR authors, in relation to these payments. While previous investigations have evaluated financial COIs in recent editions of the DSM (3,4), the demographic information of its authors has not yet been examined. Equitable representation of DSM authors is paramount as this manual serves a diverse population across the United States and beyond. It is important that the authorship of this manual be reflective of the population in which it serves, as there have been reported differences in both the type and prevalence of psychiatric care sought out by gender, as well as varying clinical treatment by geographic location (5-8). 
Author Interviews, Mental Health Research, Race/Ethnic Diversity, University of Pennsylvania / 26.08.2025

Mental health is shaped by much more than individual experiences or biology. The social and systemic forces that surround a person—including their identity and environment—play a critical role in determining how they access care, the kind of treatment they receive, and their overall likelihood of facing mental health challenges. This is where the concept of intersectionality offers crucial insight. Originally introduced by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw, intersectionality highlights how overlapping social identities—such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and disability—combine to influence a person’s lived experience. When it comes to mental health, this framework helps us better understand how multiple layers of disadvantage can magnify risks and create barriers to care.
Lifestyle & Health, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 23.06.2025

brainspa-hypperbaric In recent years, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has become more accessible than ever—not only through clinics but now directly in people’s homes. Originally developed as a hospital-based treatment, HBOT involves breathing air or oxygen in a pressurized environment to enhance the body’s natural healing processes. This treatment boosts oxygen delivery to tissues, reduces inflammation, and supports overall wellness.

With the increasing availability of home-use hyperbaric chambers, individuals are now exploring the benefits of consistent therapy in a private, familiar setting. So, what makes home HBOT such a valuable option?

What Is Home Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Home hyperbaric oxygen chambers are portable, pressurized enclosures that allow users to undergo HBOT in a non-clinical setting. Unlike hospital-grade units that may reach pressures of up to 3 ATA (atmospheres absolute), home models typically operate at milder ranges of 1.3–1.5 ATA—yet this level is still highly effective for many therapeutic goals.

These units pressurize ambient air, and for those who want an added boost, an oxygen concentrator can be attached. This dual setup makes it possible to tailor the therapy depending on the user's health goals.

Author Interviews, Colon Cancer, Gastrointestinal Disease, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 04.05.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_68341" align="alignleft" width="125"]Douglas Corley, MD, PhD  Chief Research Officer, The Permanente Medical Group Kaiser Permanente, Northern California Dr. Corley[/caption] Douglas Corley, MD, PhD Chief Research Officer, The Permanente Medical Group Kaiser Permanente, Northern California MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) is an integrated health care system that designs and implements population-based programs that support cancer prevention and early detection. In 2006, KPNC began to implement a comprehensive colorectal cancer screening program with the goal of increasing member screening rates, preventing colorectal cancer through polyp removal, and reducing cancer mortality. The initiative identifies whether screening-eligible KPNC members are up to date with their colorectal cancer screening test by either a colonoscopy or by stool-based tests, such as a fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) kit. If they are not up to date with screening, it mails them a FIT kit for at-home testing. Members can also choose other options for colorectal cancer screening, such as a colonoscopy, through their physician.
Race/Ethnic Diversity, Technology, Telemedicine / 20.03.2025

[caption id="attachment_67338" align="aligncenter" width="500"]health-care-inequalities Photo by Tessy Agbonome[/caption]   Healthcare inequality remains one of the most pressing global challenges, affecting billions of people worldwide. Despite advancements in medical science and healthcare infrastructure, access to quality healthcare services remains unequal across different regions, socioeconomic groups, and communities. Disparities in healthcare access, affordability, and outcomes persist due to factors such as income level, geographic location, race, gender, and social status. However, technology has emerged as a powerful tool in bridging these gaps and democratizing healthcare. From telemedicine and wearable devices to artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, innovative technologies are transforming the healthcare landscape and making healthcare more accessible, affordable, and efficient. Healthcare software developers play a crucial role in this transformation, creating the digital platforms, applications, and tools that enable these technological advancements to reach a wider audience.
Addiction, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 21.10.2024

  [caption id="attachment_64187" align="aligncenter" width="500"]addiction-recovery Source[/caption] Addiction is tough—period. But when you add race, culture, and gender to the mix, the challenges can pile up fast. In America, minority groups like African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and women face specific struggles when it comes to addiction and getting the right kind of help. These struggles don’t just affect the individual—they ripple through families, communities, and generations. But there’s good news: with the right understanding and care, healing is within reach for everyone. Let's break down why addiction can hit minorities harder, what makes gender-specific treatment for women so essential, and how a more inclusive approach can make all the difference. The Weight of History: Why Minority Groups Face Unique Challenges For many minorities in America, addiction isn’t just about substances—it's about history. Systemic inequality, limited access to healthcare, and cultural stigmas can make it harder for individuals to seek and receive the care they need. Think about it—many minority groups have faced generations of oppression and discrimination. This trauma, along with a lack of resources, can make addiction a silent struggle.
Nursing, Race/Ethnic Diversity, Social Issues / 05.10.2024

[caption id="attachment_63758" align="aligncenter" width="500"]diversity-nursing_hands-different-skin-color-ethnicities-coming-together-sign-diversity Source[/caption]   In today's increasingly globalized and multicultural world, providing culturally competent nursing care is essential to delivering high-quality healthcare to diverse patient populations. As the United States and many other nations become more diverse, nurses must be equipped to understand and address the unique needs of individuals from different cultural, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds. Culturally competent care not only improves patient outcomes but also fosters trust, respect, and effective communication between healthcare providers and patients.

1. Understanding Cultural Competence in Nursing

  Cultural competence refers to the ability of healthcare providers to recognize and respect the cultural differences that influence how patients experience illness, access care, and respond to treatment. For nurses, cultural competence involves a combination of knowledge, attitudes, and skills that enable them to deliver care that is sensitive to the cultural preferences, beliefs, and values of their patients. To be culturally competent, nurses must be aware of their own biases and assumptions and continuously educate themselves about the diverse cultural backgrounds of the patients they serve. This awareness helps nurses avoid making assumptions based on stereotypes, allowing them to deliver individualized care that meets the specific needs of each patient.
Abuse and Neglect, Cost of Health Care, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 06.08.2024

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_62764" align="alignleft" width="200"]Benjamin Ukert PhDAssistant Professor Department of Health Policy and Management Texas A&M University, School of Public Health Texas 77843-1266 Dr. Ukert[/caption] Benjamin Ukert PhD Assistant Professor Department of Health Policy and Management Texas A&M University, School of Public Health Texas 77843-1266 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted in March 2010 with one major goal to increase access to insurance coverage. This was done through the expansion of the Medicaid program for low income individuals and the establishment of formal health insurance marketplaces for individuals without access to employer sponsored insurance. Texas did not expand Medicaid for low income individuals, but the health insurance marketplace should have led to increases in insurance coverage, due to generous federal subsidies that cover a large share of the health insurance premium. Gaining insurance coverage can affect providers, such as hospitals, who treat a large share of uninsured individuals. We focused on the inpatient setting and evaluated whether the ACA led to changes in demand for hospital care, and whether the ACA led to reduction in the share of uninsured individuals treated by hospitals.
ASCO, Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 05.06.2024

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61813" align="alignleft" width="130"]Nina Bickell, MD, MPHAssociate Director of Community Engaged and Equity Research Co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program Co-Director of the Center for Health Equity and Community Engaged Research The Tisch Cancer Institute Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Dr. Bickell[/caption] Nina Bickell, MD, MPH Associate Director of Community Engaged and Equity Research Co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program Co-Director of the Center for Health Equity and Community Engaged Research The Tisch Cancer Institute Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Recruiting diverse patients to clinical trials is essential to advance cancer treatments, yet accrual remains low. Efficient recruitment requires the ability identify patients at treatment decision points and determine eligibility for open clinical trials – a time and personnel intensive undertaking. We developed an automated Regular Expressions technology to identify, classify and match patients to clinical trials and overcome the limitations of more resource-intensive technologies like Natural Language Processing (NLP). We created a screener, parser and matcher to: use the electronic health record to identify patients at treatment decision points based on progress notes and imaging reports and classify their cancer type, stage and receptor status; extract and categorize breast, liver and lung cancer trial data based on cancer type, stage, and receptor status from the National Cancer Institute's ClinicalTrials.gov database; pair eligible patients with relevant trials based on stage and receptor status.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Melanoma, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 24.05.2024

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61776" align="alignleft" width="125"]Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPHVice-Chair for Diversity and Inclusion Department of Dermatology Dermatologist Center for Diverse Skin Complexions Weill Cornell Medicine – NY Dr. Alexis[/caption] Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPH Vice-Chair for Diversity and Inclusion Department of Dermatology Dermatologist Center for Diverse Skin Complexions Weill Cornell Medicine – NY MedicalResearch.com: What are the main types of skin cancer?  Is the incidence changing? Response: The 3 main types of skin cancer are melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States1 and 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. (2) The overall incidence has changed as follows: • Melanoma: Rates doubled over past 30 years from 1982 to 2011.3 It differs by age group. o Adolescents and adults age 30 and younger: incidence rate is declining o Older age groups (e.g. 80 and older): incidence rate is increasing • Squamous Cell Cancer: o Incidence increased 263% between 1976-1984 and 2000-20104 • Basal Cell Cancer: o Incidence increased 145% between 1976-1984 and 2000-20104
Author Interviews, Cancer Research, JAMA, Lung Cancer, NIH, Race/Ethnic Diversity, Stanford / 01.11.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60980" align="alignleft" width="150"]Summer S Han, PhDAssociate Professor Quantitative Sciences Unit Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research (BMIR) Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Medicine Department of Epidemiology & Population Health (by Courtesy) Dr. Han[/caption] Summer S Han, PhD Associate Professor Quantitative Sciences Unit Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research (BMIR) Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Medicine Department of Epidemiology & Population Health (by Courtesy) Stanford University School of Medicine [caption id="attachment_60981" align="alignleft" width="150"]Dr. Eunji Choi PhDInstructor, Neurosurgery Department: Adult Neurosurgery Dr. Choi[/caption] Dr. Eunji Choi PhD Instructor, Neurosurgery Department: Adult Neurosurgery Stanford University School of Medicine   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
  • Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, killing about 127,000 people annually, but it can be treatable if detected early.
  • Low-dose computed tomography, or CT scan, has been shown to significantly reduce the number of lung cancer deaths. But because the radiation delivered by the scans can be harmful (they use on average about 10 times the radiation of standard X-rays), only those people at relatively high risk for lung cancer should be screened. The two biggest risk factors for lung cancer are exposure to tobacco smoke and age. Current national guidelines that rely on age and smoking exposure to recommend people for lung cancer screening are disproportionally failing minority populations including African Americans, according to a new study led by researchers at Stanford Medicine.
  • In 2021, the national guidelines by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued revised recommendation guidelines on lung cancer screening, lowering the start age from 55-year to 50-year and the smoking pack-year criterion from 30 to 20, compared to the 2013 USPSTF criteria. In comparison to the 2013 criteria, the new modifications have been shown to lessen racial disparities in screening eligibility between African Americans and Whites. However, potential disparities across other major racial groups in the U.S., such as Latinos, remains poorly examined.
  • Meanwhile, risk prediction model assesses a person’s risk score of developing an illness, such as lung cancer.
Author Interviews, Environmental Risks, Pediatrics, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 29.09.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

[caption id="attachment_60883" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr. Devon Payne-Sturges, DrPH, MPH, MEngr Associate Professor Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health School of Public Health University of Maryland, College Park Dr. Payne-Sturges[/caption]

Dr. Devon Payne-Sturges, DrPH, MPH, MEngr
Associate Professor
Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health
School of Public Health
University of Maryland, College Park

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: My co-authors and I conducted this study to fill a knowledge gap and to inform the work of Project TENDR. No systematic or scoping review had examined both exposure disparities and the joint effects of combined exposures of environmental neurotoxicants and social disadvantage as they relate to disparities in neurodevelopmental outcomes specifically among children living in the U.S.

Our study is the first to summarize the evidence on 7 neurotoxicants that children in the U.S. are routinely exposed to and we examined both disparities in these exposures and disparities in the effects of those exposures on children’s brain development, cognition, and behavior by race, ethnicity, and economic status.

We reviewed over 200 independent studies spanning five decades from 1974 to 2022 on social disparities in exposure to 7 exemplar neurotoxic chemicals and pollutants, including chemical mixtures, and their relationship with disparities with neurodevelopmental outcomes among children in the U.S.

Author Interviews, Education, JAMA, Race/Ethnic Diversity, Yale / 01.08.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60696" align="alignleft" width="133"]Mytien Nguyen Mytien Nguyen[/caption] Mytien Nguyen, MS Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine New Haven, Connecticut MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Physician-scientists are critical for innovative translational research. Combined MD-PhD training programs are essential for developing physician-scientists. Although racial and ethnic diversity of MD-PhD matriculants has increased over the past decade, little is known about how attrition rates differ by race and ethnicity.
ASCO, Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Genetic Research, JAMA, Race/Ethnic Diversity, Stanford / 06.06.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60473" align="alignleft" width="200"]Allison W. Kurian, M.D., M.Sc.Professor of Medicine and of Epidemiology and Population Health Associate Chief, Division of Oncology Co-Leader, Population Sciences Program, Stanford Cancer Institute Director, Women’s Clinical Cancer Genetics Program Stanford University School of Medicine Stanford, CA 94305-5405 Dr. Kurian[/caption] Allison W. Kurian, M.D., M.Sc. Professor of Medicine and of Epidemiology and Population Health Associate Chief, Division of Oncology Co-Leader, Population Sciences Program, Stanford Cancer Institute Director, Women’s Clinical Cancer Genetics Program Stanford University School of Medicine Stanford, CA 94305-5405 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What types of cancers were in the study? Response: Genetic testing for cancer risk is increasingly important after a cancer diagnosis, to inform use of targeted therapies, secondary cancer prevention approaches and cascade genetic testing of family members. However, very little is known about how genetic testing is used after a cancer diagnosis at the population level. We leveraged a very large population-based data resource, the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer registries of the states of California and Georgia, and linked data from these registries to clinical genetic testing results provided by the four major laboratories that provide such testing. We used this linked registry-genetic testing dataset to study adults (age >=20 years) diagnosed with all types of cancer in the states of Georgia and California from 2013-2019.
Lung Cancer, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 02.05.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60384" align="alignleft" width="150"]Andres Kohan MDMHSc. in Translational Research Joint Department of Medical Imaging University Health Network Mount Sinai Hospital and Women's College Hospital University of Toronto Toronto, Canada Dr. Kohan[/caption] Andres Kohan MD MHSc. in Translational Research Joint Department of Medical Imaging University Health Network Mount Sinai Hospital and Women's College Hospital University of Toronto Toronto, Canada   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Inequalities in access to healthcare for oncologic patients and its impact on quality of life and survival have been previously described. However, there also exists reports pointing out that when factors contributing to socioeconomic inequality are accounted for differences in outcome between races remain identifiable. In this context, we sought to evaluate the presence of disparities in imaging in a selected population of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) within AACRs Project GENIE Biopharma Consortium (BPC) dataset v 1.1. This database is the largest in existence that has not only the patients’ imaging and clinical staging/follow-up, but also the genetic profile of the patients’ tumors.
Author Interviews, Breast Cancer, JAMA, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 25.04.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60348" align="alignleft" width="200"]Mahdi Fallah, MD, PhD Study and Group Leader Risk Adapted Prevention (RAD) Group Division of Preventive Oncology National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Germany Dr. Fallah[/caption] Mahdi Fallah, MD, PhD Study and Group Leader Risk Adapted Prevention (RAD) Group Division of Preventive Oncology National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Germany   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Breast cancer is a significant public health problem, being the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in women in the US. Breast cancer screening from age 50 has been associated with a reduction in mortality and is recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force. However, there is a significant disparity in mortality rates between Black and White individuals, with Black women having a higher death rate, especially before age 50. The current one-size-fits-all policy for breast cancer screening may not be equitable or optimal, and risk-adapted starting ages of screening based on known risk factors, such as race and ethnicity, may be recommended to optimize the benefit of screening. Our study aimed to provide evidence for a risk-adapted starting age of screening by race and ethnicity.
Addiction, Author Interviews, CDC, PLoS, Race/Ethnic Diversity, UCLA / 23.03.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60226" align="alignleft" width="150"]Maria-Rita D'Orsogna Ph.D.Professor, Mathematics California State University, Northridge Adjunct Associate Professor Department of Computational Medicine at UCLA Dr. D'Orsogna[/caption] Maria-Rita D'Orsogna Ph.D. Professor, Mathematics California State University, Northridge Adjunct Associate Professor Department of Computational Medicine at UCLA MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Drug overdose deaths have been increasing in the USA for the past two decades. A ‘third wave’ of overdose fatalities started in 2013, with a shift from prescription opioids towards synthetic ones, in particular illicit fentanyl. To examine trends in drug overdose deaths by gender, race and geography in the United States during the period 2013-2020, we used an epidemiological database provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, extracting rates by race and gender in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. We considered the impact of four main drug categories psychostimulants with addiction potential such as methamphetamines; heroin; prescription opioids and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and its derivatives.
Author Interviews, Breast Cancer, Cancer Research, JAMA, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 09.03.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Hyuna Sung, PHDHyuna Sung, PHD Senior Principal Scientist, Cancer Surveillance Research American Cancer Society Kennesaw, GA 30144
  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 10% to 20% of all breast cancer diagnoses in the US. This subtype of breast cancer tends to spread faster and has fewer treatment options. In the US, Black women are about two-fold more likely than White women to develop TNBC.
Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, Electronic Records, Health Care Systems, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 07.03.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60140" align="alignleft" width="112"]Dhruv Khullar, M.D., M.P.P.Director of Policy Dissemination Physicians Foundation Center for Physician Practice and Leadership Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Economics Weill Cornell Medicine, NYC Dr. Khullar[/caption] Dhruv Khullar, M.D., M.P.P. Director of Policy Dissemination Physicians Foundation Center for Physician Practice and Leadership Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Economics Weill Cornell Medicine, NYC   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: From prior research, we know that there are racial/ethnic differences in the acute impact of COVID-19, including higher rates of hospitalization and death among Black and Hispanic individuals compared to white individuals. Less is known about whether there are differences in the rates or types of long COVID by race and ethnicity.
Author Interviews, Heart Disease, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 28.02.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60103" align="alignleft" width="125"]Dr. Muchi Ditah Chobufo MD MPHCardiology Fellow West Virginia University Dr. Ditah Chobufo[/caption] Dr. Muchi Ditah Chobufo MD MPH Cardiology Fellow West Virginia University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Ischemic heart diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the USA. Also, there exists alarming ethnic disparities in mortality rates following acute myocardial infarction. To this effect, significant efforts have been deployed over the years to curb its burden and reduce extant disparities. It is in this light that we set out to analyze general and ethnic specific trends in acute myocardial infarction related age adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) in the entire USA from 1999-2020. 
Alzheimer's - Dementia, Author Interviews, Genetic Research, Race/Ethnic Diversity, Stanford / 21.02.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60059" align="alignleft" width="125"]Yann Le Guen, Ph.D.Assistant Director, Computational Biology Quantitative Sciences Unit Stanford Medicine Dr. Yann Le Guen[/caption] Yann Le Guen, Ph.D. Assistant Director, Computational Biology Quantitative Sciences Unit Stanford Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Apart from aging, the strongest contributing factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease is a specific allele of the APOE gene, which has three common alleles E2, E3, and E4. While E3 is the most common and considered as the reference, E2 is associated with decreased Alzheimer’s disease risk and E4 is associated with increased Alzheimer’s disease risk. Notably the prevalence of E4 among Alzheimer’s patient is high with about 60% of these carrying at least one E4 allele, while solely about 30% Americans carry one E4 allele. It’s worth emphasizing that individuals with an E4/E4 genotype have an exponential increased in their risk to develop AD (10 times as likely than the reference E3/E3 genotype), and individuals with an E3/E4 genotype have an intermediate risk. Though, most studies of Alzheimer’s disease genetic have been focused on European ancestry, this is beginning to change thanks to NIH’s efforts to fund more studies in non-European ancestry individuals. Our study built on these recent efforts to assess the Alzheimer disease risk associated with an APOE variant (R145C) present in about ~4% African Americans, but extremely rare in Europeans.
Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, Race/Ethnic Diversity, Vaccine Studies / 10.02.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60007" align="alignleft" width="125"]Kenya Colvin, MBSDepartment of Medical Education Scranton, PA Kenya Colvin[/caption] Kenya Colvin, MBS Department of Medical Education Scranton, PA MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  Response: Vaccine hesitancy is a major driver of COVID-19 vaccination disparities between minority and non-Hispanic White communities. Our goal was to understand what factors influenced vaccine hesitancy among individuals in Eastern Pennsylvania to identify more effective ways to promote vaccine uptake within minority communities.
Author Interviews, Biomarkers, Gender Differences, Kidney Disease, NEJM, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 26.01.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_59955" align="alignleft" width="150"]Prof. dr. Hans Pottel Prof. dr. Pottel[/caption] Prof. dr. Hans Pottel KU Leuven Kulak Department of Public Health and Primary Care Belgium MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response:  The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is used to diagnose patients with chronic kidney disease and is also used to adjust the dose of drugs that are eliminated by the kidneys. An accurate estimation of GFR is considered of importance in the management of kidney health in patients. In 2021 we published a new serum creatinine based equation, called the European Kidney Function Consortium (EKFC) equation (Pottel H. et al, Development and Validation of a Modified Full Age Spectrum Creatinine-Based Equation to Estimate Glomerular Filtration Rate : A Cross-sectional Analysis of Pooled Data. Ann Intern Med (2021) 174: 183-191): EKFC-eGFR = 107.3 / [Biomarker/Q]a x [0.990(Age – 40) if age > 40 years] With a = 0.322 if Biomarker/Q is less than 1, and a = 1.132 if Biomarker/Q is 1 or more. The equation can easily be interpreted: the leading coefficient equals the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 107.3 mL/min/1.73m², which is the average GFR in healthy children (aged > 2 years), adolescents and young adults. The average healthy GFR remains constant until the age of 40 years, and starts decreasing beyond that age. The GFR is inversely related to the ‘rescaled’ biomarker. The rescaling factor (Q) is the average biomarker value for healthy people of a specific population (e.g. children, adult men, adult women, white people, black people, …). Biomarker/Q equals ‘1’ for the average healthy person, corresponding with eGFR = 107.3 mL/min/1.73m² (up to 40 years of age). It should be noted that for serum creatinine, the Q-value depends on sex and race. Our hypothesis was that the above equation is valid for any renal biomarker, on the condition that the biomarker is appropriately scaled. We showed that the same equation was able to estimate GFR from 2 years to oldest ages. In the current study we tested and validated our hypothesis by applying the above formula for appropriately ‘rescaled’ cystatin C.
Addiction, Author Interviews, JAMA, Mental Health Research, Race/Ethnic Diversity, University of Pennsylvania / 15.12.2022

[caption id="attachment_59828" align="alignleft" width="150"]Rebecca Arden Harris Dr. Harris[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Rebecca Arden Harris, MD, MSc Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Senior Fellow, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The impact of the nationwide overdose epidemic on Black women has received little attention from policy-makers, researchers, or the press. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Response:  Over the 7-year study period, preventable overdose deaths among Black women resulted in nearly 0.75 million years of life lost (YLL). Women aged 25-34 have suffered a rising proportion of this burden.
Accidents & Violence, Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Emory, JAMA, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 29.11.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Chris A. Rees, MD, MPH Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine Research Director, Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Emory University School of Medicine Attending Physician, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Research Scientist, CHAMPS, U.S. Program Office  and Eric W. Fleegler, MD, MPH, FAAP Associate in Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine Director Sedation Service Boston Children’s Hospital Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine Harvard Medical School MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Rates of firearm fatalities in the United States have reached a 28-year high. Yet, an understanding of the specific demographic groups who have been most affected, and where in the United States these fatalities have occurred, has not been clearly described in the past.
Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Dermatology, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 18.10.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_59639" align="alignleft" width="200"]Alexandra J. White, PhD, MSPH Stadtman Investigator Epidemiology Branch National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institutes of Health Research Triangle Park, NC Dr. White[/caption] Alexandra J. White, PhD, MSPH Stadtman Investigator Epidemiology Branch National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institutes of Health Research Triangle Park, NC MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What is the chemical primarily used in hair straighteners? Response: Hair products such as dye and chemical straighteners contain several different chemicals that may act as carcinogens or endocrine disruptors and thus may be important for cancer risk. Straighteners in particular have been found to include chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, cyclosiloxanes and metals and may release formaldehyde when heated. Previous research has suggested that hair dye and chemical straighteners are related to other hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast and ovarian cancer, but no previous study has considered how they are related to uterine cancer risk.
Author Interviews, Education, JAMA, Race/Ethnic Diversity, Social Issues, Yale / 15.07.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_59333" align="alignleft" width="92"]Mytien Nguyen, MS MD-PhD Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut Mytien Nguyen[/caption] Mytien Nguyen, MS MD-PhD Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  Response: It is well-recognized that diversity in the medical workforce is critical to improve health care access and achieve equity for neglected communities. Despite increased efforts to recruit diverse medical trainees, there remains a large chasm between the racial/ethnic and socioeconomic composition of the patient population and that of the physician workforce.
Author Interviews, Cancer Research, JAMA, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 10.06.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_59246" align="alignleft" width="150"]Marquita W. Lewis-Thames Dr. Lewis-Thames[/caption] Marquita W. Lewis-Thames, PhD (she/her/Dr.) Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Social Science Center for Community Health, Member Researcher Assistant Directors of Community Outreach and Engagement, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  What are the main findings?  Response: Incidence, mortality, and survivorship provide a comprehensive description of cancer for a group of people. Differences in cancer incidence and mortality trends by rural-urban status and race and ethnicity are well documented, but urban-rural cancer survivorship trends by race and ethnicity are unknown. To this end, we examined almost 40 years of racial and ethnic differences by rural-urban status for 5-year survival of patients with lung, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers. Using a nationwide epidemiological assessment of 1975-2011 data from the SEER database, we found that 5-year cancer-specific survival trends increased for all cancer types and race and ethnic groups, regardless of rural or urban status. Generally, rural, and non-Hispanic Black cancer patients had worse survival outcomes than others.