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March 2023

Study Finds Black, Hispanic COVID Patients Likely to Develop Lasting Symptoms

The study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) initiative analyzed data from 29,331 white patients, 12,638 Black patients and 20,370 Hispanic patients in New York City who had been diagnosed with COVID between March 2020 and October 2021. The study found that after the Black and Hispanic patients recovered from the illness, they continued to experience ongoing symptoms. 

Per the study, “Black patients had higher odds of experiencing developing blood clots in the lungs or being diagnosed with diabetes after COVID-19 than white patients. Hispanic patients had higher odds of having headaches or chest pain than white patients. White patients had higher odds of abnormal brain function or damage to the brain.” 

“Among patients with COVID-19 who were not hospitalized, Hispanic patients had greater odds of developing new symptoms affecting six of the eight symptom categories than white patients,” per the study.

Black, Unhoused and Mentally Challenged: The Case for Housing and Health Care

Numerous studies have confirmed that homelessness and behavioral and mental health problems affect African Americans at disproportionate rates in California and around the United States.

On a very primary and personal level, homelessness affects an individual’s mental health. Looking at the data: approximately 30% of people who are chronically unhoused have a mental health condition, about 50% have a co-occurring substance use problem, and 42% have a disabling condition such as a developmental disability, HIV/AIDS or injuries from combat such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

In California, 43% of the Black Californians interviewed reported that someone close to them has experienced homelessness – a rate much higher than any other racial group in the survey, according to a survey conducted by the California Health Care Foundation. Black women in particular – are at a higher risk for exposure to mental health stresses.

​“A variety of circumstances put Black women at high risk for mental and emotional stress – economic insecurity, responsibilities of caregiving, neighborhood violence, lack of social support and physical illness or disability,” reads the website of the California Black Women’s Health Project.

“As a result, many are plagued by tension, anxiety, worry, and fear. Because of the powerful and complex links between the mind, emotions, and body, chronic states of stress and anxiety can have dangerous and sometimes fatal, health consequences. In addition, the daily struggles of coping with racism and sexism further exacerbate mental and emotional stress,” the write-up on the website reports.

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When these intersecting issues go unaddressed, they can compound and adversely affect individuals.

Black people make up 13.6% of the population in the United States and account for approximately 21% of those living in poverty.  Blacks in California comprise 6.5% of the population but are more than 40% of the homeless/unhoused population!   In fact, in most shelters, food banks, and drop-in centers for the unhoused, the majority of those served are from Black or Brown communities.  Black people outnumber White people 12 to 1 among the homeless population.

California has more unhoused than any other state. Seventy percent of California’s homeless are living on the streets and in tents, etc. while in New York, data reflects that only 5% of their homeless are living on the streets.

 

California has instituted several policies and passed a series of laws to address the mental health and homeless crises. Last year, during his annual budget proposal, Gov. Gavin Newsom connected the challenge of solving homelessness in the state with inadequate approaches the state has taken so far to address mental health.

Among different approaches taken to address the state’s mental health challenges and, consequently, the homelessness crisis is the passage of the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Act (CARE) Act in California last year. This law, which Newsom signed into law, establishes CARE Court, an alternative to the Criminal Justice System for people who are mentally ill.

But more needs to be done if we are to address the mountainous monumental challenges of our mental health and homelessness crises, particularly as it affects minorities. The resources and programs the state has made available have simply not kept up with the demand for services.

California was the first state in the country to propose housing as a human right under Assembly Constitutional Amendment 10 (ACA-10) (Bonta 2020).  This amendment would ensure shelter for the unhoused and recognize housing as a human right.  However, after more than 70 years, housing still appears to be treated as a commodity rather than a human right.

Across the board – from prevention and early intervention to strategically providing housing and chronic care — we need to do more in the Golden State across the board.

Medical professionals need to be provided cultural sensitivity training and more needs to be done to destigmatize mental health care in the Black community. Social support systems must be strengthened, and more resources need to be committed to outreach and research so that both care and information can be targeted to serve the needs of Black Californians.

We need a combination of solutions working at the policy level, within the health care delivery system, and among our social and community networks that attack the problems from various angles.

Committing to funding, decreasing hurdles in zoning, working collaboratively with public and private sectors, and creating space for ingenuity would be steps toward solving these crises.  Recognizing that Black and Brown communities, children, families, and seniors are unhoused as well as those that carry the weight of mental illness, leads us to act and consider prioritizing vulnerable populations of unhoused.

We must utilize all our available resources so that every Californian will be afforded the right to have housing and a ‘home’ and adequate mental health care, allowing for security, safety, and comfort.

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Obesity Care Week Begins as Report Reveals that Nearly 50 Percent of African Americans Have Obesity

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Obesity Care Week 2023 (OCW) kicked off on Monday, Feb. 27, with a focus on the disproportionate impact of obesity on communities of color.
Health officials responsible for OCW said racial and ethnic minorities have a higher rate of chronic diseases. African Americans have the highest rate of chronic diseases.
According to recent data, almost 50% of African Americans have obesity, and approximately 4 out of 5 Black women have overweight or obesity.
The causes of obesity are complex, and a person’s access to healthy food, safe places to exercise and play, stable and affordable housing, access to quality health care, and social attitudes about body weight all play a role in whether a person will have obesity.
However, communities of color face unique challenges in each of these areas, health officials stated.
For example, in the United States, only 8% of African Americans live in a census tract with a supermarket, while 31% of white Americans have one.
This means that minorities more often shop in small stores or bodegas or eat at fast food restaurants. These places usually have less fresh food and more processed food.
Cultural attitudes about body weight also play a role, with non-Hispanic white women more satisfied with their body size than non-Hispanic Black women, and Hispanic women more interested in losing weight and eating healthy.
Evidence shows that the African American population has less of an impact on existing weight loss interventions, with Black men and women achieving smaller weight losses.
Health officials noted that this suggests that intensive behavioral programs result in lower levels of adherence in Black people than whites.
Founded in 2015, Obesity Care Week has a global vision for a society that values science and clinically based care and understands, respects, and accepts the complexities of obesity.
Organizers have focused on changing the way society cares about obesity and have worked to empower individuals by providing affordable and comprehensive care and prevention programs, increasing awareness of weight bias, and working to eliminate obesity.
Researchers said obesity not only affects overall health, but it also increases the risk of complications from COVID-19.
According to a recent study of hospitalized patients in the US, obesity may also predispose patients to getting the virus and is the strongest predictor for COVID-19 complications.
Unfortunately, African Americans are also disproportionately affected by COVID-19. According to the CDC, 33% of those hospitalized with the virus were African Americans, compared to 13% of the US population.
Inequities in access to and quality of care result in poor overall health and many chronic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes.
This can affect individuals’ chances of getting COVID-19.
The communities in which African Americans live may place them at greater risk for developing chronic illnesses. For example, they may not have access to healthy foods or safe places to play or exercise.
For people who try to eat healthy, living in a food desert means that they must go to a grocery store.
They often must do this by public transportation.
These disparities need to be addressed so that all communities have the resources and support they need to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
“Obesity Care Week 2023 highlights the need for comprehensive and inclusive approaches to obesity care that consider the unique challenges faced by communities of color,” organizers stated.

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Study Finds Black, Hispanic COVID Patients Likely to Develop Lasting Symptoms

*Blacks and Hispanics are allegedly more likely to develop lasting symptoms after a bout with COVID, according to a new study. 

The study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) initiative analyzed data from 29,331 white patients, 12,638 Black patients and 20,370 Hispanic patients in New York City who had been diagnosed with COVID between March 2020 and October 2021. The study found that after the Black and Hispanic patients recovered from the illness, they continued to experience ongoing symptoms. 

Per the study, “Black patients had higher odds of experiencing developing blood clots in the lungs or being diagnosed with diabetes after COVID-19 than white patients. Hispanic patients had higher odds of having headaches or chest pain than white patients. White patients had higher odds of abnormal brain function or damage to the brain.” 

“Among patients with COVID-19 who were not hospitalized, Hispanic patients had greater odds of developing new symptoms affecting six of the eight symptom categories than white patients,” per the study.

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“Identifying potential racial and ethnic disparities in long COVID is an important step toward making sure we have an equitable response to the long-term consequences of coronavirus infection,” said lead author Dr. Dhruv Khullar, who is an assistant professor of Population Health Sciences and the Nanette Laitman Clinical Scholar in Healthcare Policy Research/Quality of Care Research at Weill Cornell Medicine and a hospitalist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Khullar said researchers were unable to explain “why there were differences in risk levels or symptoms among racial and ethnic groups.” 

“We hope our study encourages clinicians, researchers and policymakers to pay attention to potential differences in long COVID across racial and ethnic groups and to stimulate more research and discussion,” Khullar said.

“An important goal of our efforts is to shed light on inequities to improve the delivery of care across the country,” said Dr. Rainu Kaushal, senior associate dean for clinical research at Weill Cornell Medicine and chair of the Department of Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical

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GET GORGEOUS: 5 Tips To Wow Your Valentine’s Day Date

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Looking forward to that PERFECT Valentine’s Day date with someone special? Have you been prepping to make sure everything goes according to plan? This Valentine’s Day, make sure to prep with these essential tips to make the night (and yourself!) flawless – from start to goodnight-kiss finish!

Tip #1: All About the Fragrance

Looking your best is just part of it – you also have to feel your best, and SMELL your best!

Research shows that a large part of attraction is based on smell, so make sure you grab the perfect perfume for the big day!

For Valentine’s Day, a floral fragrance is ideal. If you don’t normally wear perfume, consider a scented body lotion or oil for just a touch of scent that he won’t forget.

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Tip #2: Look great, no matter what “time of the month” it may be

We, girls, know that “that time” comes around RIGHT when you don’t want it – unnecessary bloating, and horrible cramps can leave you feeling terrible.

To combat PMS symptoms, try Girl Uninterrupted®, a fresh, new and all-natural approach to PMS relief. It’s composed of an all-natural blend of essential amino acids and herbs that have been specifically formulated to directly address those common symptoms of PMS.

With Girl Uninterrupted, you’ll be able to curb bloating to fit into that gorgeous red dress and keep those PMS side effects at bay!

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Tip #3: Get Your Beauty Sleep

More than just a pretty-making mechanism, sleep is an essential component to staying slim. During those coveted 8hrs of shut-eye, your digestive system is pumping hard to process your food, metabolizing carbohydrates and breaking down fats – so make sure you don’t skimp out on sleep before the big day so you can look (and feel!) your best!

 

Tip #4: Moisturize!

Valentine’s Day can leave you stresse

hydrated, smooth, and unaffected by changes in air and temperature that usually dry out the skin.

 

Tip #5: Pre-Dinner Workout

Whether you’ve been working out every day before Valentine’s Day or you barely managed to hit the gym, a quick workout before you go out with your guy can help bring color to your cheeks, achieve that natural glow, and can help settle nerves while you tone!

Try a small circuit of pushups, squats, crunches and high knees to get your heart rate up and tone specific areas before your night out.

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Ladies Beware! A Common Nail Salon Tool May Cause DNA Damage and Mutations in Human Cells

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 Radiation from nail dryers may damage DNA and cause cancer-causing mutations in human cells, a new study has found — and that might have you wondering whether your regular gel mani-pedi is worth the risk.

Some dermatologists say the findings, in a study published January 17 in the journal Nature Communications, aren’t new when it comes to concerns about ultraviolet, or UV, light from any source. In fact, the results reaffirm the reason why some dermatologists have changed the way they get their gel manicures or have stopped getting them altogether.

“The findings contribute to data already published regarding the harmful effects of (ultraviolet) radiation and show direct cell death and damage to tissue that can lead to skin cancer,” said Dr. Julia Curtis, an assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Utah, who wasn’t involved in the study.

“Tanning beds are listed as carcinogenic and UV nail lamps are mini tanning beds for your nails in order to cure the gel nail,” Curtis said.

A form of electromagnetic radiation, ultraviolet light has a wavelength ranging from 10 to 400 nanometers, according to the UCAR Center for Science Education.

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Ultraviolet A light (315 to 400 nanometers), found in sunlight, penetrates the skin more deeply and is commonly used in UV nail dryers, which have become popular over the past decade. Tanning beds use 280 to 400 nanometers, while the spectrum used in nail dryers is 340 to 395 nanometers, according to a news release for the study.

“If you look at the way these devices are presented, they are marketed as safe, with nothing to be concerned about,” said corresponding author Ludmil Alexandrov in the news release. “But to the best of our knowledge, no one has actually studied these devices and how they affect human cells at the molecular and cellular levels until now.” Alexandrov holds dual titles as associate professor of bioengineering and cellular and molecular medicine at the University of California San Diego.

Researchers exposed cells from humans and mice to UV light, finding that a 20-minute session led to 20% to 30% of cells dying. Three consecutive 20-minute exposures made 65% to 70% of the exposed cells die. The remaining cells experienced mitochondrial and DNA damage, resulting in mutations with patterns that have been observed in skin cancer in humans.

 

The biggest limitation of the study is that exposing cell lines to UV light is different from conducting the study on living humans and animals, said dermatologist Dr. Julie Russak, founder of Russak Dermatology Clinic in New York City. Russak wasn’t involved in the study.

“When we’re doing it (irradiating) inside human hands, there’s definitely a difference,” Russak said. “Most of the UV irradiation is absorbed by the top layer of the skin. When you irradiate cells in the petri dish directly, that’s slightly different. You don’t have any protection from the skin, from corneocytes or the top layers. It’s also very direct UVA irradiation.”

But this study, taken together with previous evidence — such as case reports of people developing squamous cell carcinomas, the second most common form of skin cancer, in association with UVA dryers — means we should “definitely think harder about just exposing our hands and our fingers to UVA light without any protection,” said Dr. Shari Lipner, an associate professor of clinical dermatology and director of the nail division at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Lipner wasn’t involved in the study.

Reducing your risk

If you’re concerned about gel manicures but don’t want to give them up, there are some precautions you can take to mitigate the risks.

“Apply broad-spectrum sunblock that contains zinc and titanium around the nails, and wear UV gloves with the fingertips cut off when it is time to cure your nails,” said Curtis, who doesn’t get gel manicures. “I would recommend alternatives to gel nails, such as the new wraps that are available online.” (Gel nail wraps or strips are stick-on gel nail products that don’t always require being set by UV nail dryers.)

Some salons use LED lights, which “are thought to emit either no UV light or much, much lower amounts,” Lipner said.

Lipner gets regular manicures — which typically last her seven to 10 days — not in an effort to avoid UV light but rather because she doesn’t like the nail-thinning acetone soaking involved with gel manicures.

“Regular manicures are just dried in the air,” she added. “Gel manicures have to be curated or sealed, and the polymers in the polish have to be activated, so that can only be done with the UVA lights.”

If you have regularly gotten gel manicures, Lipner recommends seeing a board-certified dermatologist who can examine your skin for any skin cancer precursors and treat them before they become a serious problem. (Ultraviolet light can also age the skin, showing up as sunspots and wrinkles, she said.)

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There isn’t enough data for experts to weigh in on how often people can get gel manicures without putting themselves at risk, Lipner said. But Curtis recommended saving them for special occasions.

Russak doesn’t get gel manicures very often but uses sunscreen and gloves when she does, she said. Applying serums rich in antioxidants, such as vitamin C, beforehand might also help, she added.

“As a dermatologist, I change gloves probably three, four times with just one patient. And with a regular nail polish, after three, four glove changes, the nail polish is gone,” Russak added. “The gel manicure definitely has a much better longevity, but is it really worth the risk of photoaging and development of skin cancer? Probably not.”

People with a history of skin cancers or who are more photosensitive due to fairer skin or albinism, medications or immunosuppression should be more careful about taking precautions, experts said. Whether or not you are at higher risk, however, the dermatologists CNN spoke with urged caution.

“Unfortunately, full protection is not possible, so my best recommendation is to avoid these dryers altogether,” Zeichner said.