Addressing Disparities
About 46 million Americans who live in rural areas are more likely than their urban counterparts to die from heart disease, cancer, and stroke. (Source: CDC)
About 36% of the U.S. population belongs to a racial or ethnic minority group, but some minorities experience a disproportionate healthcare burden. (Source: CDC)
PCORI has funded 122 clinical effectiveness research studies and related projects that seek to help patients at risk for disparities and those who care for them make better-informed decisions about their options to improve their health. (As of February 2022)
Study Results that Support Better-Informed Decisions
The PREPARE Study: Reducing the Impact of Asthma on Underserved Populations
An easy-to-use, patient-centered approach to managing moderate to severe asthma improved outcomes for African-American/Black and Hispanic/Latinx adults, according to findings of the PCORI-funded PREPARE study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study was led by Elliot Israel, MD, at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Massachusetts.
Study participants were randomized to receive either usual care or one-time instruction to use inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) when they used an asthma reliever or nebulizer. Those in the ICS group experienced a 15 percent decreased risk of severe asthma exacerbations as well as reduced asthma symptoms and days of impairment compared to those who got usual care.
Increasing Rates of Advance Care Planning among Spanish-Speaking Patients
Advance care planning helps people with serious illnesses prepare for their future healthcare needs. But there are barriers that make it challenging, including a lack of planning materials and information available in Spanish. This study showed that a culturally tailored, Spanish version of a website called PREPARE encouraged Spanish-speaking patients to do advance care planning better than giving them only written forms to state their wishes. The website also enabled them to begin planning on their own without a need for healthcare staff.
Teaching Latino Parents Skills to Manage Their Children's Mental Health Care
Latino children with mental illness are half as likely to get mental health care as non-Latino white children. This study created an education program to teach Latino parents skills to get their the mental health care they need. Researchers found that the educational program improved parents’ knowledge and confidence about getting their child care, as well as their skills for working with their children’s schools.
Evidence Map and Visualization
Social Needs Interventions to Improve Health Outcomes
Social needs refer to adverse social conditions that are associated with poor health and are identified or prioritized based on patients' perspectives. Addressing these social needs could help improve health outcomes and reduce disparities.
This new interactive visualization and an accompanying report summarize the findings from a systematic scoping review of studies on social needs interventions that reported behavioral outcomes, health outcomes, or health care utilization outcomes.
Read a recent blog post about the evidence visualization.
Addressing Disparities Study Spotlights
Reducing Barriers to Care for Patients with Limited English Skills
Immigrants and refugees with limited English proficiency (LEP) are among the communities in the U.S. that face health disparities, an issue that PCORI has always been committed to addressing. A PCORI-funded project is connecting primary care clinicians and patients with LEP to build research capacity.
Improving Care for Underserved Asian Americans with Hepatitis B
Asian Americans make up five percent of the population, but have half of the cases of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in the United States. This study compares usual care to care that also uses a patient navigator and text messaging to see which approach more effectively improves health outcomes and reduces health gaps.
In the Navajo Nation, a Focus on Health Data
Native Americans have the highest rate of diabetes among all US racial and ethnic groups. This study is examining a health project in which trained laypeople, known as community health representatives, reach out to coach people in their communities and help coordinate care.