Health Equity

October 18, 2024

All of Us tour stops at VUMC Oct. 22-25

The All of Us Research Program brings the future of health to VUMC and Nashville. 
Marjorie Trueblood, EdD, was one of the speakers at the program. (photo by Donn Jones)
September 30, 2024

Dermatology residents complete anti-racism curriculum

This was the first time CARE was presented as an in-person intensive program rather than a series of virtual workshops.

By Paul Govern
Image of the U.S., with markers that note cities where the Home Owners’ Loan Corp. conducted a city survey of impacted areas. (Source: Mapping Inequality)
September 24, 2024

Poverty rates linked to asthma in ‘redlined’ areas

Neighborhoods that were discriminated against, called ‘redlined areas,’ are known to have higher levels of air pollution from industry and vehicles, especially diesel-fueled trucks, buses and cars.

By Craig Boerner
Melinda Aldrich, PhD, MPH
September 20, 2024

Melinda Aldrich elected to genetics society board of directors

Aldrich uses population-based cohorts and biobanks to investigate lung cancer; her research informed guidelines for lung cancer screening.

By Leigh MacMillan
(Adobe Stock)
September 18, 2024

Endowment to enhance health care access for children

The $1 million endowment, established internally, will support the Department of Pediatrics efforts to weave health equity initiatives and strategies throughout clinical care, operations, research and training.

By Christina Echegaray
August 23, 2024

Children with developmental disabilities less likely to receive gold-standard hearing assessment

More than 30% of children with permanent hearing loss have additional disabilities. A timely diagnosis of reduced hearing and access to appropriate interventions can maximize developmental outcomes.

By Danny Bonvissuto
June 25, 2024

Gene variant may underlie diabetes disparities: study

The study was the largest ancestry-stratified, genetic estimation of the heritability of diabetic retinopathy conducted to date and included an unprecedented number of individuals of non-Hispanic African ancestry — more than 46,000.
By Bill Snyder
June 17, 2024

Annual Harold Jordan Lecture addresses racism and psychosis

The keynote speaker’s topic was “Infusing DEI in our Research Programs: An Example Studying the Social Patterning of Psychosis.”
By Danny Bonvissuto
June 14, 2024

Removing race improves accuracy of lung function testing in children

The study suggests the adjustment for race in spirometry resulted in an underreporting — and thus possibly undertreatment — of chronic lung diseases, including asthma and cystic fibrosis, in Black children.
By Bill Snyder
May 14, 2024

Breast cancer risk variants identified for women of African ancestry

A study led by researchers from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center sheds light on some of the genetic variants that make breast cancer more deadly for women of African ancestry and significantly reduces the disparity in knowledge for assessing their genomic risk factors.
By Tom Wilemon
May 7, 2024

VUMC honored for health care equality efforts 

VUMC is the only organization in Tennessee to repeatedly be recognized for its commitment to adopting adult LGBTQ-inclusive patient, visitation and employment policies. 
By Doug Campbell
May 1, 2024

Poverty tops smoking as a major death risk: study

A Vanderbilt study found that Black and white people who earned less than $15,000 a year died, on average, more than 10 years earlier than those whose annual income exceeded $50,000.
By Bill Snyder
April 26, 2024

Homelessness a major issue for many patients in the emergency department

Unstable housing and homelessness can exacerbate adverse health outcomes, leading to increased risk of chronic disease, injury, and disability. Yet, emergency departments currently do not have a universal method to identify those at risk of, or currently experiencing, homelessness.
By Craig Boerner
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