The Health Disparities Podcast

There are numerous social and structural vectors for disease that are not often discussed in medical school. So, Dr. David Ansell says he had a lot to learn once he became a physician.

Ansell, author of “The Death Gap: How Inequality Kills,” writes about the stark disparities in access to treatment and outcomes for patients in the U.S. healthcare system.

“We always talk about inequities. We have frank inequities, but we have gross inequalities,” Ansell says. “The care isn't equal… And if we could get to equal, then we can take on the inequity.”

One of t...

Food insecurity is a systemic public health issue that needs to be addressed because reliable access to healthy food is critical to positive health outcomes.

Health care partnerships are forming to improve access to healthy foods in some states, including Massachusetts, which is at the forefront of addressing food insecurity with programs that allow Medicaid funding to be used to address social determinants of health.

“I would push back on the idea that things like food and housing are not actually medical,” says Jennifer Obadia, senior director of health care partnerships at Project Bread, a nonp...

Conversation is an important part of bringing an end to racism so that everyone thrives in our society. It’s something that the leaders of 904Ward care deeply about. 

The 904Ward organization evolved the Jacksonville 904 dialing area code into a nonprofit whose mission is to create racial healing and equity through deep conversations and learning, trusting relationships, and collective action. 

Dr. Kimberly Allen served as the inaugural CEO of 904WARD from 2020 to 2025. 

“I think we all make judgments all the time because that's just the nature of our brains and how it works, but wha...

The underlying causes of health disparities are many, and sometimes healthcare providers can exacerbate disparities with how they operate.

Health equity researchers have conducted "secret shopper" studies, revealing how healthcare providers limit appointments — and even treatment recommendations — to people with certain types of insurance.

“Patients with Medicaid were significantly less likely to be offered appointments compared to those with Medicare or private insurance, and in many cases, clinics told us they weren't accepting any new Medicaid patients or that they didn't take Medicaid at all,” says Dr. Daniel Wiznia, Associate Professor of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation at Yale and...

What does it take to create healthy neighborhoods that include broad, deep, and permanent pathways to prosperity for low-income families? 

That question is the focus of today’s episode with Carol Redmond Naughton, CEO of Purpose Built Communities based in Atlanta.

“I really have become an  advocate for community development as a way to move the needle on  health outcomes. And I'm not talking about simply putting a kidney dialysis center in the bottom floor of a senior high rise,” Naughton says. “I don't mean to say that that's not a good thing to do, but we've g...

The case for diversity in healthcare professions is strong. Research shows that a diverse healthcare workforce improves health outcomes, particularly for patients of color, and also increases people’s access to care and their perception of the care they receive. 

Physicians of color are more likely to build careers in underserved communities, which can contribute even more toward the goal of reducing healthcare disparities.

So, what does it take to cultivate a strong and diverse health care workforce? On this week’s episode, we gain insights from two knowledgeable guests, who spoke with Dr. Hadiya Green...

Poverty is a key driver of health disparities. But numerous policies have been shown to help alleviate poverty and improve health equity, according to Dr. Rita Hamad, associate professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Hamad says policymakers need to look upstream and identify the root causes of health issues.

“And really recognizing that poverty is one of the major root causes of those issues, and that if we don't address that… those health issues are just going to keep arising and not getting any better,” she sa...

A diverse healthcare workforce is critical to improving outcomes for our diverse nation.

In order to achieve this, there needs to be both a pipeline and a pathway, says Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, President and CEO of Morehouse School of Medicine.

“We need students to believe what’s possible in first grade and then chart a path,” she says.

Montgomery Rice says her own love and science and people led her to chart her career pathway that led her into academic medicine. “What if everybody was given that opportunity. What if everybody was told you...

Participating in religious activities appears to benefit cardiovascular health among Black Americans. It’s something we explored in an episode on this podcast a few years back.

Health systems, professional societies and researchers are increasingly recognizing that “faith-based organizations are trusted institutions within underserved communities and that people not only seek spiritual refuge and salvation in these places of worship, but they are also wonderful, trusted vessels to  distribute reliable health information,” says Dr. LaPrincess Brewer, a faculty member in the division of  Preventive Cardiology, department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic.

“Participating in religious activities...

In today’s episode, we explore some big questions about community health — and how hospitals and health care workers can help promote equitable health outcomes in their communities.

The Community Health Needs Assessment, or CHNA, is a  powerful tool for promoting health equity, says Leslie Marshburn, Vice President of Strategy & Population Health at Grady Health System.

“We want to be hearing directly from the individuals that we serve — what they believe their community health needs are,” Marshburn says. The information is coupled with public data, “ideally at the most granular level, like the census track or zip code...

Across the globe and in the U.S., environmental crises loom large and threaten our most vulnerable populations. 

“There's a lot of dying that's happening now, and it's primarily among poor, Black and Brown people,” says Dr. Cheryl Holder, who’s on a personal mission to inspire clinicians to act on climate change. 

Holder explains that a person’s health and well-being is directly impacted by the environment they’re surrounded by.

“In celebrating and recognizing the environment, we recognize that this is how we define humanity, and how we create the environment for us to grow...

What motivates Joel Bervell, a.k.a. the Medical Mythbuster, to create social media content addressing racial disparities, the hidden history of medicine, and biases in healthcare? 

He’s seen how it can literally save lives.

A year after Bervell posted a video about disparities in pulse oximeters for Black patients, a man reached out to share that during the pandemic, he had reported to the hospital with shortness of breath, a fever and COVID symptoms. The pulse oximeter reported 100% oxygen saturation, so he was told to go home.

“But he felt horrible, and h...

Weight bias is pervasive and is one of the most common forms of bias in the U.S. 

When it comes to obesity medicine, patients can be their worst critics, says Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine physician scientist, educator, and policy maker at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

“They’re their worst critics because what they’ve heard from their doctors, their family members, their peers is that they have failed,” Dr. Stanford says. “My goal is to help them realize that they’re not, indeed, a failure. There are options. We can treat ...

It takes a village to find and implement strategies that promote positive health outcomes in communities across the U.S. — and the nation’s public health agency is working to promote these innovations.

“The best innovations that we've had for humankind have come from these types of collective strategies,” says Dr. Karen Hacker, director of the CDC National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

This week on the Health Disparities Podcast, we're joined by Dr. Hacker, who shares her insights on healthcare collaboration and bridging community-clinical services to help address social determinants of health...

Collaboration is the cure: Dr. Vivian Pinn calls for renewed efforts to bring about health equity

Speaking at the university where she was the only female and only African American student in her class, and in the auditorium named for her, “Healing Hate” conference keynote speaker Dr. Vivian Pinn reflects on progressing her career during eras of segregation, discrimination, and civil rights. 

Pinn says it’s important to address the erroneous historical racial stereotypes that have informed contemporary unconscious bias. In working toward health equity, she says interdisciplinary collaboration is critical.

“You’ve got to work...

Chronic stress from life in an unjust society can have measurable negative impacts on the health of people from marginalized backgrounds. 

The concept is known as weathering, and it’s the focus of the aptly named book by Arline Geronimus, a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a professor in the school of public health at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research.

Weathering is exacerbated by racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination, and can contribute to health disparities, leading to earlier onset of diseases like cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. 

...

Professor Augustus “Gus” White III didn’t just pioneer the understanding of unconscious bias through research methodology during his illustrious career as an orthopedic surgeon. The Harvard Medical School professor and author of “Overcoming” & “Seeing Patients” has also spent a lifetime fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion wherever he has worked, often by emphasizing our common humanity; his use of the term “fellow humans” to start speeches has become legendary.

“I think diversity and inclusion is a very important reality ideal to address,” White says. “It has numerous values for institutions, for people who are involved and for making progress...

Respectful, patient-centered communication can play a huge role in improving health outcomes and helping eliminate health disparities. 

In today’s episode hosted by Movement Is Life’s Conchita Burpee, we explore the critical elements of effective, patient-centered communication. Our guests:

When it comes to self-care, many people think of taking a break due to exhaustion or burnout. But the acts of self-care that make a real difference go beyond self-soothing, says Ariel Belgrave, an award-winning health and fitness expert, wellness consultant, and the founder of Gym Hooky. 

Belgrave challenges people to consider self-care as an investment in their future selves.

“The mindset shift I challenge folks to have is: thinking about the future version of you,” Belgrave says. “...The reality is: Taking care of yourself now could be the difference between your independence and being in a nu...

Over the past two decades, nearly 200 rural hospitals have closed, resulting in millions of Americans losing access to an emergency room, inpatient care, and other hospital services. And today, more than 700 rural hospitals in the U.S. – or approximately 1 in 3 – are at risk of closing due to financial problems, according to a report from the nonprofit Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. 

All this comes at a time when rural health disparities are rampant. In the final episode of our rural health series, we consider solutions: What does it take to prevent rural hospital closures? What evide...

In our latest podcast series, we’re taking a deep dive on rural health, going beyond the common tropes about rural America – the older, sicker, poorer narrative – and checking in with folks on the ground who are excited to do the work of promoting equitable health outcomes for rural Americans. 

Today, Health Disparities podcast host Sarah Hohman talks with two rural health providers:

When we consider what it takes to improve the health of rural Americans and address rural health disparities, there's no one size fits all solution. Because, as the saying goes, if you’ve seen one rural community, you’ve seen one rural community.

In our latest podcast series, we are digging into rural health: the challenges, and the opportunities. We’re highlighting the diversity of rural communities and addressing common misconceptions..

In today’s episode, Health Disparities podcast host Sarah Hohman checks in with three people who work in rural hospital leadership...

People in rural areas have higher rates of certain chronic conditions and disabilities and can expect to live a couple years shorter, on average, compared to people in urban areas. The health disparities facing rural Americans stem from many factors – including geographic, economic, social, and systemic issues. 

But in the midst of all this, there is hope. There’s greater awareness of the importance of rural health care and public health resources, and a growing number of federal agencies dedicated to supporting data-driven solutions aimed at addressing rural health challenges.

Two individuals behind some of those...

Congresswoman Terri Sewell says she’s honored to have called John Lewis a colleague, friend and mentor. Lewis, one of the most important civil rights leaders in American history, died in 2020. But his legacy is carried on by health equity champions like Sewell, who has taken up the mantle on legislation that aims to address health disparities in our nation.

“The John Lewis Equity in Medicare and Medicaid Treatment Act — it really is an opportunity to reduce health disparities and to evaluate payment models of Medicare and Medicaid that will take social determinants of health into account,” Sewell s...

Americans are on track to need 1 million knee replacements annually by the year 2025. The rate of disability caused by degenerative joint problems is also on a rise. At the same time, rates of physical activity continue to decline, and sedentary lifestyles and obesity are becoming the main cause of diabetes and heart disease. 

It's a vicious cycle of pain, immobility, chronic illness, all of which impact underserved populations most. It’s why Movement is Life created Operation Change – an evidence-based behavioral change program focused on grassroots community interventions. 

Operation Change has programs running in cities across...

Movement Is Life’s annual summit brings together stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to discuss healthy equity challenges and actionable solutions. 

This year’s theme is: "Health Equity: Solutions from Healthcare Leaders.” The summit will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, from November 14 to 15. 

Movement Is Life is honored to have Joel Bervell as a plenary speaker at our upcoming 2024 annual summit. Bervell is a Ghanaian American medical student and science communicator known online as the “Medical Mythbuster.” Through viral social media content, Bervell addresses racial disparities, the hidden history of medicine, and biases in healthcare.

Bervell sa...

It takes time, energy and financial resources to bring about change within an organization. Healthcare organizations are no exception. 

Health systems that are serious about centering health equity need to put their money where their mouth is, says compliance and DEI consultant Linda Howard. In practice, this means centering equity in both their mission statements and their budgets.

“You have to allocate resources. When people start seeing resources being allocated towards things, they start to take it more seriously,” Howard says. 

Howard speaks with Health Disparities podcast host Christin Zollicoffer about what it takes...

Hospitals and health systems can play a big role in addressing healthcare disparities in our nation. It's the focus of our latest podcast series. Today, we zero in on a statewide health equity initiative that is first of its kind in the nation. 

Through a historic 1115 Medicaid waiver, Massachusetts hospitals have made a commitment to come together with the state to embed equity into the foundation of their operations. 

“This really does entail an intentionality on the part of our hospital systems that I think is unmatched in many ways — an intentionality and a will and a...

Racial and ethnic minorities and other underserved groups receive unequal medical treatment, contributing to the myriad disparities in health outcomes that we see today. This notion is supported by a growing body of research stemming back decades.

The Joint Commission has recognized the horrible impact of health disparities in America, and the group is taking action, says Kathryn Petrovic, vice president for accreditation and certification product development at the Joint Commission. The accrediting organization launched a new health care equity certification program in 2023 that recognizes hospitals that are “making health care equity a strategic priority, and collaborating wit...

Hospitals and health systems can play a major role in addressing healthcare disparities in our nation. In our latest episode – part of our hospitals and health equity series – we zero in on hospital rankings and how the metrics that are used can compel health systems to take much-needed action on health equity. 

“If hospitals were to focus more on health equity, they would be fulfilling both a moral responsibility as well as a legal responsibility,” says Tavia Binger, a health data analyst at U.S. News and World Report. “Nonprofit hospitals are actually required to spend portions of their re...

Every person brings their own cultural background into their encounters with the healthcare system.

But this doesn’t mean that every healthcare provider needs to develop an encyclopedic knowledge of every culture in order to provide equitable, high-quality care to every patient.

“The truth of the matter is: that could never be done. I'm Puerto Rican, Latino, and even among Puerto Ricans, there's a great difference in lived experience, exposure to health care and the like,” says Dr. Joseph Betancourt, president of the Commonwealth Fund.

But there will be times when a person’s cultur...

Artificial Intelligence is transforming health care. The promise of this technology is enormous and is already being realized to increase the accuracy of diagnoses, promote patient engagement, increase efficiency in health care and lower costs.

It’s even being used to identify patients at risk of disease and predict patients who might be good candidates for medical procedures. 

Done well, AI tools can help ensure patients with the greatest need for orthopedic surgery are prioritized for care, and help reduce health care disparities, says Luke Farrow, an orthopedic and trauma surgeon and clinical researcher at the...

For too many people in the U.S., health care is unaffordable and not accessible. Even patients who have health insurance coverage can be confronted with barriers that keep them from accessing the health care that they need.

And research shows health disparities are rampant, with health care access — and outcomes — worse for people of color and other marginalized groups.

The new State of Patient Access report from the PAN Foundation breaks down these disparities and highlights next steps for creating more equitable access to care. 

“Our goal with the project was really to unde...

Mental health is an important part of our overall health, but many people confront barriers that keep them from accessing the mental health care they need.

A program in Boston aims to  address mental health disparities by disrupting traditional health care models. The Boston Emergency Services Team, or BEST, is led by Dr. David Henderson, chief of psychiatry at Boston Medical Center. 

BEST brings together mental health providers, community resources, law enforcement, and the judicial system to deliver care to people in need of mental health services.

Henderson says bringing mental health providers al...

Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams has the following message for health equity advocates: forge respectful relationships with people with different viewpoints — and pay close attention to the words you use.

“We need to learn to speak in a language that resonates with folks,” Adams says. “When that happens, you will get better policy making.”

Adams recounts his experience – both as the 20th U.S. Surgeon General and as the former state health commissioner for Indiana – in an interview with Health Disparities podcast host Claudia Zamora.

He also discusses his new book, Crisis a...

There’s a long history of racism in both education and health care. But some health equity advocates — including Michellene Davis, President and CEO at National Medical Fellowships — are holding onto hope that real change is possible.

“The only reason why I like the name, the title ‘social determinants of health,’ is because anything that has been socially constructed can be socially deconstructed,” Davis said. “Health disparities do not naturally occur in nature, they have been manmade, right? So now it's time for us to unmake them.” 

In this week’s episode, host Dr. Tamara Huff speaks with Davi...

Artificial Intelligence is gaining widespread popularity, but despite the growing number of AI applications, many questions remain about how the technology could affect health disparities — for better or worse. “We know how technology has had a disparate impact and harms on people, and medicine has had disparate impact and harms,” says Bill Jordan, a family and preventive medicine doctor based in New York City. “We need to prepare physicians and future physicians to have these conversations with their patients and be able to explain… what the inequities could be based on, what we’ve seen in history, and then also what the opp...

It’s important that health care workers provide quality health care. But when it comes to addressing health disparities, clinical care can only go so far, says Dr. Diana E. Ramos, an OB/GYN who now serves as California’s first Latina surgeon general. 

“It would be wonderful if that 10-minute appointment that a patient just saw me for made the biggest difference in the patient's life. That's not the reality,” Ramos said. “We have to [take] into consideration the environment that the people live in.”

Ramos says cross-collaborative partnerships between health care providers and community par...

Many envision influencers as social media stars with vast followings. But being an influencer is so much more than that. In today’s episode, we redefine the term across various sectors, from health to social justice, and delve into how you can activate your network by using your influence.

One thing influencers do is share information throughout their communities to spread awareness about important issues, says Beth O’Connor, the executive director of the Virginia Rural Health Association, 

“People want to know more,” O’Connor says. “And people who are often in those mineral age groups are th...

Nonprofit organizations rely on funding to execute their mission, but steady funding is not always easy to come by. So, what can leaders of nonprofits do to attract attention — and resources — from foundations and corporations with money to give?

Many funders want to understand an organization’s impact — and quantifying and conveying that impact can take many forms, says Velma Monteiro-Tribble, former director of grants and programs for the Florida Blue Foundation.

“People think that there is money lying around; money is tighter today,” she said. “And people are looking at those that really can tell the story...