"Tiniest U.S. Preemies More Likely to End Up in Lower-quality NICU If They're Black" - Linda Carroll
In a large national study that included nearly 90 percent of all preterm and low-birth-weight babies born in the U.S. over a three-year period, researchers found that black infants were more likely than white infants to receive care in a lower-scoring neonatal intensive care unit. The study, which was reported in JAMA Pediatrics doesn’t indicate why black infants are more likely to end up at a lower quality NICU, and this is a topic for further research. Elizabeth Howell, MD, director of the Blavatnik Family Women’s Health Research Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai said “While there have been smaller studies showing similar results, this is the first to look at the national picture.” Dr. Howell coauthored an editorial accompanying the new study. “We’ve been looking at these kinds of questions in medicine across the board, not just in neonatal care. Residential segregation I think is one of the biggest factors. However, there are other factors. We need to understand the underlying causes if we are going to target interventions to reduce disparities and improve care.”
— Elizabeth A. Howell, MD, MPP, Associate Dean, Academic Development, Director, The Blavatnik Family Women’s Health Research Institute, Professor, Population Health Science and Policy, Psychiatry, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Additional coverage: KFGO; Romper; U.S. News & World Report
"Pearls From - Elizabeth Howell, MD" - Hazel Shahgholi Smith
May 24, 2018 View All Press Releases