Search Results (12)

This longitudinal ecological study analyzed racial disparities in mortality trends for stomach cancer (SC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) in Brazil (2000 to 2023) stratified by sex. Data from the National Mortality Information System were analyzed for individuals aged 25 to 80. Self-reported race/skin color followed the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics classification: White (White group) and Black or Brown/multiracial (Black group). Age-standardized mortality rates used the world population as a reference, and Prais–Winsten autoregression calculated trends. SC mortality rates declined for both sexes and racial groups, with a greater reduction in the Annual Percent Change (APC) among Whiteindividuals. Conversely, CRC mortality rates increased, with the Black group showing a higher percentage increase in APC. Despite progress in reducing SC mortality, disparities persist, particularly for CRC, where Black populations experience worse outcomes. Higher SC and CRC mortality rates were observed among White individuals, but the trends highlight the growing burden of CRC in Black populations. These findings emphasize the urgent need to address racial disparities in cancer outcomes, as they remain a critical public health challenge despite advancements in healthcare access and disease control in Brazil. Full article

This literature review aims to comprehensively evaluate the clinical and dermoscopic presentations of common pediatric diseases among children with skin of color (SoC) while also addressing potential variations based on racial backgrounds. This review encompasses various conditions, such as nevi subtypes, viral infections, infestations, and inflammatory dermatoses, as well as hair diseases and abnormal vascular formations, occurring in pediatric populations. Overall, we identified 7 studies on nevi subtypes, 24 studies on skin infections, 6 on inflammatory dermatoses, 10 on hair diseases and disorders, and 14 on miscellaneous disorders that also satisfied our SoC- and race-specific criteria. In case of no results, we assumed that dermoscopic findings are similar between SoC adults and children, confirming the hypothesis with our cases of dark-skinned Indian child patients. Inflammatory dermatoses such as psoriasis, eczema, and cutaneous mastocytosis, as well as skin infections like cutaneous leishmaniasis, appear with brownish backgrounds or exhibit dark structures more frequently than the respective dermoscopy images of Caucasian populations. Dermoscopy traits such as erythema in tinea capitis are uncommon or even absent on a dark-colored scalp, while a dark skin tone often obscures many characteristic features, such as dark and yellow dots in alopecia areata and even parts of an intradermal parasite in the case of scabies. Race-specific traits were also observed, such as corkscrew hair in tinea capitis, primarily seen in patients of African origin. Many dermoscopic images are consistent between SoC and non-SoC in various skin lesions, including vascular anomalies, juvenile xanthogranuloma, mastocytoma, and viral skin lesions like molluscum contagiosum, as well as in various hair disorders such as trichotillomania, while tinea capitis displays the most diverse reported dermoscopic features across SoC- and race-specific studies. Full article

Epidemiological studies frequently classify groups based on phenotypes like self-reported skin color/race, which inaccurately represent genetic ancestry and may lead to misclassification, particularly among individuals of multiracial backgrounds. This study aimed to characterize both global and local genome-wide genetic ancestries and to assess their relationship with self-reported skin color/race in an admixed population of Sao Paulo city. We analyzed 226,346 single-nucleotide polymorphisms from 841 individuals participating in the population-based ISA-Nutrition study. Our findings confirmed the admixed nature of the population, demonstrating substantial European, significant Sub-Saharan African, and minor Native American ancestries, irrespective of skin color. A correlation was observed between global genetic ancestry and self-reported color-race, which was more evident in the extreme proportions of African and European ancestries. Individuals with higher African ancestry tended to identify as Black, those with higher European ancestry tended to identify as White, and individuals with higher Native American ancestry were more likely to self-identify as Mixed, a group with diverse ancestral compositions. However, at the individual level, this correlation was notably weak, and no deviations were observed for specific regions throughout the individual’s genome. Our findings emphasize the significance of accurately defining and thoroughly analyzing race and ancestry, especially within admixed populations. Full article

This cross-sectional study investigated the association between experiences of discrimination and oral health self-perception among a probabilistic cluster sample of Brazilian adults who participated in the 2013 National Health Survey. Oral health self-perception was categorized into three groups (very good + good; fair; poor + very poor). Reported experiences of discrimination included attributions based on the respondent’s race/skin color, social class, income, occupation, illness, sexual orientation, religion, sex, and age. Covariates included sociodemographic data, oral health conditions, access to healthcare services, health habits, mental health, and participation in social and/or religious activities. Data were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression for non-proportional odds, considering sample weights and complex samples. Among 60,202 adults, 5.84% perceived their oral health as poor + very poor, with a significantly higher proportion among those experiencing discrimination (9.98%). Adults who experienced discrimination were 1.39 times more likely to report a “poor/very poor/fair” oral health self-perception compared to those who did not experience discrimination. Those who suffered discrimination were 1.28 times more likely to have a “very poor/poor” oral health self-perception than their counterparts who were not affected by discrimination. These findings underscore the importance of considering discrimination experiences as part of the social determinants influencing oral health. Full article

The number of clinical trials conducted in patients with atopic dermatitis is increasing steadily. These trials are conducted in several countries across all continents and include patients of different ethnicity, race and skin color. This diversity is desired, but it also brings challenges, including the diagnosis and evaluation of disease severity in patients with different skin colors; the influence of ethnicity on the perception of quality of life and patient reported outcomes; the inclusion of ethnicities that are only present in one country or that live far from clinical research sites; and the reporting of drug safety information. There is a need to better train physicians on the evaluation of atopic dermatitis in patients with different skin colors and a need to improve the systematic reporting of ethnicity, race and skin color in clinical trial publications. Full article

Background: The consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with several negative health outcomes. Studies on adolescents have shown that this population has a high consumption of these foods, especially in high-income countries. However, there are no studies on the types of ultra-processed foods consumed. The present study evaluated secondary data from a representative sample of the National School Health Survey, the consumption of ultra-processed foods by 159,245 Brazilian adolescents. Methods: Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire using a mobile device. A Poisson regression model was used to assess the prevalence of ultra-processed food consumption and its correlation with sociodemographic characteristics. Results: The consumption of ultra-processed foods was significant among Brazilian adolescents, and almost half of the participants reported consumption the day before. We observed that sociodemographic characteristics such as school type, race/skin color, region, municipality type, age, living with mother, living with father, and maternal education level were associated with greater or lesser consumption of ultra-processed foods. Adolescents who study in private schools, are female, white, and live in non-capital cities consume more ultra-processed foods. Conclusions: Access to in natura and minimally processed foods must be on the agenda of governments and encouraged by food and nutrition education to guarantee the right to adequate and healthy food. Full article

The objective of this study was to analyze the indicators of access and use of health services in people with diabetes mellitus. This study used data from the National Health Survey, conducted in Brazil in 2013. The National Health Survey was carried out with adults aged 18 years or older residing in permanent private households in Brazil. Indicators from 492 individuals with self-reported diabetes mellitus living in the Central–West region of the country were analyzed. Item response theory was used to estimate the score for access to and use of health services. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze factors associated with scores of access and use of health services by people with diabetes mellitus. The mean score of access estimated by the item response theory and use estimated was 51.4, with the lowest score of zero (lowest access and use) and the highest 100 (highest access and use). Among the indicators analyzed, 74.6% reported having received medical care in the last 12 months and 46.4% reported that the last visit occurred in primary care. Only 18.9% had their feet examined and 29.3% underwent eye examinations. Individuals of mixed-race/skin color and those residing outside capital and metropolitan regions had lower access and use scores when compared to white individuals and residents of state capitals, respectively. The study shows several gaps in the indicators of access and use of health services by people with diabetes. People of mixed race/skin color and residents outside the capitals and metropolitan regions had lower scores for access and use, suggesting the need to increase health care in these groups. Full article

Background: Experiences of discrimination are prevalent among minority populations, although often empirical evidence does not provide depth into the source and types of discrimination, such as racial/ethnic, gender-based, age, etc. The goal of this study was to assess the unique patterns, types, and sources of discrimination experiences that college students face and explore the role these experiences play in their mental health. Methods: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was utilized. Quantitative assessment of college students from a Hispanic and minority-serving institution was conducted to evaluate experiences of discrimination and its association to physical health and mental health (including psychological distress), as well as food insecurity, a marker for poverty. Next, qualitative data were thematically analyzed to further provide an in depth understanding on the sources of such experiences, types of discriminations, as well as the impact on mental health. Results: Results of the quantitative assessment highlight that discrimination was prevalent among the population with a higher everyday discrimination score significantly associated with serious psychological distress, low mental health status, low physical health status, and being food insecure. Further, most of the participants reported that they felt discriminated due to their appearance, with race/ethnicity and skin color as next most commonly cited reasons. Qualitative assessment further demonstrates distinct types of discrimination experiences from a variety of sources. Within a family, colorism and having an American accent while speaking a native language was a predominant source, while among peers, having a non-American accent was a primary source of discrimination experiences. Such experiences based on elitism, gender, and age (being younger) from the workplace were prevalent among the target population. Finally, feelings of isolation, not belonging, as well as negative impact on self-efficacy and self-worth were noted. Conclusion: Experiences of discrimination are prevalent among college students, including from within family and peers. To improve mental health outcomes of such a population, campus-based measures are needed to promote resiliency and social support, as well as community-based initiatives to promote workplace training to create inclusive environments for younger generations entering the workforce. Full article

We aimed to investigate the relationship between HLA alleles in patients with type 1 diabetes from an admixed population and the reported race/skin color of their relatives. This cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted in public clinics in nine Brazilian cities and included 662 patients with type 1 diabetes and their relatives. Demographic data for patients and information on the race/skin color and birthplace of their relatives were obtained. Typing of the HLA-DRB1, -DQA1, and -DQB1 genes was performed. Most studied patients reported having a White relative (95.17%), and the most frequently observed allele among them was DRB1*03:01. Increased odds of presenting this allele were found only in those patients who reported having all White relatives. Considering that most of the patients reported having a White relative and that the most frequent observed allele was DRB1*03:01 (probably a European-derived allele), regardless of the race/skin color of their relatives, we conclude that the type 1 diabetes genotype comes probably from European, Caucasian ethnicity. However, future studies with other ancestry markers are needed to fill the knowledge gap regarding the genetic origin of the type 1 diabetes genotype in admixed populations such as the Brazilian. Full article

Undergraduates may face challenges to assure food security, related to economic and mental distress, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess food insecurity and its associated factors in undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2020 to February 2021 with 4775 undergraduates from all Brazilian regions. The questionnaire contained socio-economic variables, the validated Brazilian food insecurity scale, and the ESQUADA scale to assess diet quality. The median age of the students was 22.0 years, and 48.0% reported income decreasing with the pandemic. Food insecurity was present in 38.6% of the students, 4.5% with severe food insecurity and 7.7% moderate. Logistic regressions showed students with brown and black skin color/race presented the highest OR for food insecurity; both income and weight increase or reduction during the pandemic was also associated with a higher OR for food insecurity, and better diet quality was associated with decreased OR for food insecurity. Our study showed a considerable presence of food insecurity in undergraduates. Policy for this population must be directed to the most vulnerable: those with brown and black skin color/race, who changed income during the pandemic, and those presented with difficulties maintaining weight and with poor diet quality. Full article

To investigate racial and ethnic differences in the protective effects of parental education and marital status against adolescents’ depressed mood and suicidal attempts in the U.S. As proposed by the Marginalization-related Diminished Returns (MDRs), parental education generates fewer tangible outcomes for non-White compared to White families. Our existing knowledge is very limited regarding diminished returns of parental education and marital status on adolescents’ depressed mood and suicidal attempts. To compare racial groups for the effects of parental education and marital status on adolescents’ depressed mood and suicidal attempt. This cross-sectional study included 7076 non-Hispanic White or African American 8-11 years old adolescents from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The independent variables were parental education and marital status. The main outcomes were depressed mood and suicidal attempts based on parents’ reports using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS). Age and gender were the covariates. Race was the moderator. Logistic regression was used to analyze the ABCD data. Overall, parental education was associated with lower odds of depressed mood (OR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.67–0.99; p = 0.037) and having married parents was associated with lower odds of suicidal attempts (OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.28–0.91; p = 0.022). In the pooled sample, we found interaction terms between race with parental education and marital status on the outcomes, suggesting that the protective effect of having married parents against depressed mood (OR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.00–2.37; p = 0.048) and the protective effect of having married parents against suicidal attempts (OR = 6.62; 95% CI = 2.21–19.86; p = 0.001) are weaker for African Americans when compared to Whites. The protective effects of parent education and marital status against depressed mood and suicidal attempts are diminished for African American adolescents compared to White adolescents. There is a need for programs and interventions that equalize not only socioeconomic status (SES) but also the marginal returns of SES for racial minority groups. Such efforts require addressing structural and societal barriers that hinder African American families from translating their SES resources and human capital into tangible outcomes. There is a need for studies that can minimize MDRs for African American families, so that every individual and every family can benefit from their resources regardless of their skin color. To achieve such a goal, we need to help middle-class African American families secure tangible outcomes in the presence of SES resources. Full article

It is often claimed that race is a social construct and that scientists studying race differences are disruptive racists. The recent April 2018 “Race Issue” of the widely distributed National Geographic Magazine (NG) provided its millions of readers with a particularly illustrative example of this position. As discussions of race issues often recur, in both scientific and lay literature, stir considerable polemics, and have political, societal and human implications, we found it of both scientific and general interest to identify and dissect the following partly overlapping key contentions of the NG race issue magazine: (1) Samuel Morton’s studies of brain size is reprehensible racism (2) Race does not relate to geographic location, (3) Races do not exist as we are all equals and Africans, (4) Admixture and displacement erase race differences as soon as they appear, and (5) Race is only skin color deep. Also examined is the claim that Race does not matter. When analyzed within syllogistic formalism, each of the claims is found theoretically and empirically unsustainable, as Morton’s continuously evolving race position is misrepresented, race relates significantly to geography, we are far from equals, races have definitely not been erased, and race, whether self-reported or defined by ancestry, lineage, ecotype, species, or genes, is much more than skin color deep. Race matters vitally for people and societies. We conclude that important research on existing population differences is hurt when widely respected institutions such as NG mobilize their full authority in a massively circulated attempt to betray its scientific and public readership by systematically misrepresenting historical sources and scientific positions, shaming past scientists, and by selectively suppressing unwanted or unacceptable results–acts included as examples of academic fraud by the National Academy of Sciences (US, 1986). Any unqualified a priori denial of the formative evolutionary aspects of individual and population differences threatens to impede the recent promising research on effects of genome wide allelic associations, which would lames us in the vital quest to develop rational solutions to associated globally pressing societal problems. Full article