Improving Representation In Clinical Trials And Research
The United States has long made substantial investments in clinical research with the goal of improving the health and well-being of this nation. These investments have contributed significantly to treating and preventing disease and extending human life. Nevertheless, clinical research faces a critical shortcoming. Currently, large swaths of the U.S. population, and those that often face the greatest health challenges, are less able to benefit from these discoveries because they are not adequately represented in clinical research studies. While progress has been made with representation of white women in clinical trials and clinical research, there has been little progress in the last three decades to increase participation of racial and ethnic minority population groups. This underrepresentation is compounding health disparities, with serious consequences for underrepresented groups and for the nation. At the request of Congress, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have produced the report, Improving Representation in Clinical Trials and Research: Building Research Equity for Women and Underrepresented Groups. It identifies policies, procedures, programs, or projects aimed at increasing the inclusion of these groups in clinical research and the specific strategies used by those conducting clinical trials and clinical and translational research to improve diversity and inclusion. The report models the potential economic benefits of full inclusion of men, women, and racial and ethnic groups in clinical research and highlights new programs and interventions in medical centers and other clinical settings designed to increase participation. The report can be obtained here.
Financial Barriers Affecting Health Care Habits Of American Men
Compared to men in 10 other high-income countries, men in the United States are more likely to have serious health conditions, die from avoidable causes, and be dissatisfied with the health care system, according to a new Commonwealth Fund study. On nearly every health care measure studied, American men experiencing income insecurity fared the worst. The analysis reveals that U.S. men who have average- or below-average income or deal with frequent financial stress are less likely to obtain preventive care, more likely to have problems affording their care, and more likely to have physical and mental health conditions. These findings track with previous Commonwealth Fund research documenting poor health care access and outcomes for U.S. women of reproductive age. One area in which the U.S. ranked above other countries was the quality of its cancer treatment. Men in the U.S. have the lowest rate of prostate cancer–related deaths. The report can be obtained here.
Digest Of Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) on August 9, 2022, released a List of 2021 Digest Tables, a comprehensive statistical reference for all levels of education. The List consists of seven chapters. Information about Postsecondary Education is provided in Chapter 3 and covers several topics including Enrollment Rates (e.g., first-time students and admissions, and racial/ethnic groups); historically Black colleges and universities; faculty salaries and benefits; and degrees conferred at different levels. Chapter 5 contains data on Outcomes of Education (e.g., labor force status by educational attainment; occupation and earnings by educational attainment; and employment by students). The latter item examines the percentage of 16- to 64-year-old undergraduate students employed, by attendance status, hours worked per week, and selected characteristics: 2010, 2015, and 2020. Chapter 6 focuses on International Comparisons of Education (e.g., percentage of degrees at the bachelor's level and above awarded in science and mathematics; information technologies; and engineering, by field of study, level of degree, and country: 2019). The List of 2021 Digest Tables can be obtained here.