Ground-breaking study provides national and state-level estimates of the economic burden of health disparities by race and ethnicity and educational levels.

New research shows that the economic burden of health disparities in the United States remains unacceptably high. The study, funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), part of the National Institutes of Health,  revealed that in 2018, racial and ethnic health disparities cost the U.S. economy $451 billion, a 41% increase from the previous estimate of $320 billion in 2014. The study also finds that the total burden of education-related health disparities for persons with less than a college degree in 2018 reached $978 billion, about two times greater than the annual growth rate of the U.S. economy in 2018.

The findings from this study by researchers from NIMHD; Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore; Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland; TALV Corp, Owings Mills, Maryland; and the National Urban League were published in JAMA.

This study is the first to estimate the total economic burden of health disparities for five racial and ethnic minority groups nationally and for all 50 states and the District of Columbia using a health equity approach. The health equity approach set aspirational health goals that all populations can strive for derived from the Healthy People 2030 goals. It establishes a single standard that can be applied to the nation and each state, and for all racial, ethnic, and education groups. It is also the first study to estimate the economic burden of health disparities by educational levels as a marker of socioeconomic status.

“The exorbitant cost of health disparities is diminishing U.S. economic potential. We have a clear call to action to address social and structural factors that negatively impact not only population health, but also economic growth,” said NIMHD Director Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, M.D.

Read more.

Today, the U.S. Census Bureau released the Vintage 2022 population estimates for metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas and local governmental units, including incorporated places, minor civil divisions, and consolidated cities. They also released housing unit estimates for the nation, states and counties. Learn more and access the data here.

We’ve created a brief focused on the population change in Pennsylvania municipalities that visualizes changes between 2020 and 2022.

Read more on our Research Briefs page or click here to go straight to the brief.

Although data on the prevalence of current asthma among adults and children are available at national, regional, and state levels, such data are limited at the substate level (eg, urban–rural classification and county).

We examined the prevalence of current asthma in adults and children across 6 levels of urban–rural classification in each state. We estimated current asthma prevalence among adults for urban–rural categories in the 50 states and the District of Columbia and among children for urban–rural categories in 27 states by analyzing 2016-2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey data. We used the 2013 National Center for Health Statistics 6-level urban–rural classification scheme to define urban–rural status of counties.

During 2016-2018, the current asthma prevalence among US adults in medium metropolitan (9.5%), small metropolitan (9.5%), micropolitan (10.0%), and noncore (9.6%) areas was higher than the asthma prevalence in large central metropolitan (8.6%) and large fringe metropolitan (8.7%) areas. Current asthma prevalence in adults differed significantly among the 6 levels of urban–rural categories in 19 states. In addition, the prevalence of current asthma in adults was significantly higher in the Northeast (9.9%) than in the South (8.7%) and the West (8.8%). The current asthma prevalence in children differed significantly by urban–rural categories in 7 of 27 states. For these 7 states, the prevalence of asthma in children was higher in large central metropolitan areas than in micropolitan or noncore areas, except for Oregon, in which the prevalence in the large central metropolitan area was the lowest.

Knowledge about county-level current asthma prevalence in adults and children may aid state and local policy makers and public health officers in establishing effective asthma control programs and targeted resource allocation.

Citation: Qin, Xiaoting, Cynthia A. Pate, and Hatice S. Zahran. “Adult asthma prevalence and trend analysis by urban–rural status across sociodemographic characteristics—United States, 2012-20.” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global 2, no. 2 (2023): 100085.

May is National Foster Care Month, where we should take an opportunity to honor those in out-of-home placement and the individuals who support them. In 2021, 20,490 children and youth were placed in the foster care system—many who were unable to safely remain in the homes of their parents or caregivers and others who could’ve stayed in their home communities with community-based services.

We recognize and thank the kinship caregivers and foster parents who have stepped up to care for them. We acknowledge biological parents and caregivers working tirelessly to mitigate the risk and safety concerns that lead to placement. We also thank the caseworkers, providers and advocates on the front lines daily, ensuring that foster children grow, thrive and achieve permanency.

To further highlight the child welfare system in May, the Annie E. Casey Foundation released Fostering Youth Transitions 2023: State and National Data to Drive Foster Care Advocacy. Transition age youth are foster children ages 14 and older who are in or exiting the system to adulthood. This population has poorer outcomes compared to their peers in the general population. The report notes that although the number of teenagers and young adults in foster care has decreased by 45% nationally over the past 15 years, systems are falling short of delivering services to those who are in care.

Read PPC’s press release on the report noting Pennsylvania-specific data and policy recommendations.

Axios PA interviewed PPC Policy Director Rachael Miller about the report.

The Pennsylvania Health Law Project is excited to share our latest Impact Report highlighting the achievements of our staff over the first few months of 2023. Without the support our donors, wey would not have been able to accomplish what we did last quarter.

This year marks our 30^th anniversary of incorporation as a nonprofit, and we started the year off with a bang! During the first quarter of 2023, PHLP staff provided free legal services to nearly 400 clients and provided over 5,000 hours of legal assistance to Pennsylvanians from across the state.

In the Report, read about our case work and the clients we serve, client spotlights, responses from our client satisfaction surveys, honors and awards our staff received, and policy highlights showcasing our work from the last quarter.

We are so proud of the work we do here at PHLP, and we can’t wait for you to take a look at what we accomplished so far this year. We look forward to coming together to mark our 30^th anniversary with our colleagues, friends, and supporters. Stay tuned for exciting updates about our anniversary celebrations later this year.

Read the report!

We create interactive maps for the Pre-K for PA campaign each year, and the 2023 maps and fact sheets are now available.

The maps show the unmet need for high-quality, publicly funded pre-k and high-quality pre-k locations receiving public funds and eligible provider locations not yet receiving Pre-K Counts funding or not yet serving eligible preschool-age children through Child Care Works. From the mapping application, you can print statewide and county fact sheets. PPC typically can produce fact sheets at the legislative district level, but these are unavailable for 2023 due to delayed census data and redistricting effective this year.