Articles related to CULTURE & MEDICINE

Engage in a comprehensive exploration of health disparities in clinical practice with this online CME course, and refine your skills to provide equitable care for all patients.

Bridging the Gap: Twinning Programs Improve Pediatric Cancer Survival Rates Across Borders In a world where a few miles can determine the fate of a child with cancer, twinning programs are making a significant difference. These initiatives, which pair hospitals across borders, are helping to bridge the survival gap in pediatric acute leukemia between high-income and lower-income countries. Key Points: “There’s no pediatric centers in many of the mountain west states. If your kid gets cancer in Wyoming, you gotta go to Utah or Colorado or Mayo in Minnesota. But here, there’s really nice evidence that providing the right protocols, training, staff, and more, we could do this in more places and improve outcomes without developing a new drug.” Gwen Nichols, chief medical officer of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Learn about the precise genomic tests and compassionate treatments one doctor is using to address racial inequities in breast cancer care. JAMA’s latest study highlights a discrepancy in breast cancer care for Black women. The accuracy of widely used genomic tests for breast cancer, such as Oncotype DX, is notably less reliable for Black women. Hence, there’s an urgent call to address racial disparities in breast cancer care, especially as Black women currently face 41% higher mortality rates than white women. Dr. Nathalie Johnson, President of The American Society of Breast Cancer Surgeons, advocates for Agendia’s tests, which focus solely on biological factors. Such tests disregard race, ethnicity, age, or menopausal status, allowing for truly personalized treatment selection. Moreover, understanding every woman’s unique cancer empowers not only the patients but also their care teams. Recent research confirms that Black women are more likely to experience high-risk recurrence and death from axillary node-negative breast cancer compared to their non-Hispanic white counterparts. It reveals that Oncotype DX tests have lower prognostic accuracy for Black women. It points to the need for model calibration in genomic assays for populations with more racial/ethnic diversity. Dr. Johnson emphasizes personalized medicine and stresses the importance of […]

In our pursuit of health equity, cultural competence has become a crucial element in nursing. Unraveling its significance and practices, this guide illuminates the importance of cultural awareness in bridging health disparities and improving patient outcomes. Health disparities often stem from social, environmental, and economic disadvantages. Groups burdened by these disparities face larger obstacles to health, underlining the importance of health equity. In an effort to combat health disparities, the nursing profession emphasizes cultural awareness, diversity, and inclusivity. The stark differences in health outcomes for different racial and ethnic groups are impossible to ignore. Dr. Jamil Norman, a nursing instructor, found that Black mothers in the U.S. are 3-4 times more likely to die in childbirth than white mothers. Such disparities highlight the urgent need for culturally competent care. Culturally competent care includes four essential components: awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills. Through self-awareness, nurses can identify their own cultural biases. They can then address these biases, understand different cultural practices, and develop effective cross-cultural skills. Research shows that culturally competent nursing care yields significant benefits. It promotes mutual respect, fosters inclusion, and improves patient compliance and outcomes. Examples of culturally competent practices include using understandable language, respecting conflicting cultural beliefs, […]

Racial affinity group caucusing is explained and proposed as a component of the medical education curriculum for its potential value in dismantling the systems that produce inequities.

Vabbing (look it up on TikTok) is the practice of putting one’s own vaginal fluid to the body in order to attract future mates or suitors. Researchers have yet to determine whether or not human pheromones exist or how they function. Vabbing can alter a user’s psychological state, improving their perceived attractiveness. According to experts, those willing to attempt vabbing may already be the type of people capable of meeting a relationship or sexual partner.