Health Equity and Access Weekly Roundup: February 3, 2024

Housing Stability and Adequate Health Care Are Crucial for Mental and Physical Health

Serena Sloane, a Pittsburgh-based CNA and single mother, initially skeptical, shares her positive experience with Fabric Health and the UPMC Health Plan. Introduced at her laundromat, she emphasizes the connection between stable living conditions and overall health, stressing the impact of stress on well-being. Serena encourages others in similar situations to seek help and expresses a desire for improved, potentially free health care in the US, advocating for accessible services to benefit those facing financial constraints.

Health Discrepancies in Criminal Justice System Intrinsically Tied to Public Health

This feature article explores how incarceration, recognized as a social determinant of health by HHS, worsens health inequities in the US, with the country having the largest global imprisoned population. Inmates face heightened risks of infectious and noncommunicable diseases due to factors like poor ventilation and inadequate diets. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the impact on public health, with higher incidence and mortality rates among incarcerated individuals. The need for policy changes, improved testing, and harm reduction programs for diseases like hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS was emphasized while also discussing the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases influenced by factors such as chronic stress.

Certain Behavioral, Social Factors Associated With DKA Hospitalizations in T1D

A recent study found that 26% of type 1 diabetes patients admitted for diabetes ketoacidosis (DKA) experienced multiple hospital admissions over a 2-year period. Substance use disorder, particularly cannabis use, was independently associated with these repeat admissions. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions to reduce DKA recurrence among specific patient groups. No significant differences were observed in psychosocial factors, diagnostic diabetes lab values, or hospital stay length between patients with single and multiple DKA admissions.

Study Shows Mental Health Disparities Among Transgender, Nonbinary Communities

A Lancet Public Health analysis revealed that non-binary transgender individuals have a significantly higher risk of long-term mental health conditions compared with cisgender individuals. Non-binary transgender individuals face an alarming 47.2% risk. Discrimination and health care barriers were noted as possible contributors to these disparities. The authors emphasized the urgent need for inclusive health care practices, professional training, and broader societal and legal improvements to support mental well-being in transgender and non-binary communities.

Navigating Health Equity in 2024: The Evolution of Accountability

Part 1 and Part 2

In 2024, The Joint Commission (TJC) and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) are implementing measures to address health disparities and improve health equity, focusing on social determinants of health (SDOH). The CMS has introduced equity-focused process measures, including screening for social drivers of health, while the NCQA's Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) is expanding measures and introducing stratification by race and ethnicity. TJC has established new requirements to reduce health care disparities, and CMS has adopted a 10-year framework for health equity priorities. These standardized measures aim to promote transparency, benchmark health care quality, and incentivize SDOH data collection, contributing to efforts to achieve greater health equity.