Role Of Race Research Articles

Toward an Equity Agenda for Black Girls and Women in STEM Learning Spaces and Careers: Noticing, Validating, and Humanizing

This editorial and themed issue is a call to redirect our efforts from teaching Black women and girls how to navigate and persist in toxic STEM learning environments to a greater vision of being and becoming. As we consider what becoming means for Black girls who transition into Black women in STEM learning spaces and careers, there is often an untold story of struggle, resistance, and resilience. I present the experiences of three Black women physicists who in very recent years became the first, while contributors in this issue share cutting-edge scholarship on how Black girls engage in youth participatory action research, the role of race and gender discrimination on Black girls’ mathematical attitudes and beliefs, and how Black girls develop scientific literacies in elementary classrooms. Additional research explores how Black women experience imposter syndrome in their pursuit of terminal STEM degrees, while the final piece in this issue shares counternarratives of Black women engineering teachers by drawing attention to aspirational capital and communal support. We elevate the voices of Black women and girls to author their own stories as unsung heroes in this body of work and reposition them as experts of their experiences. This courageous and radical shift requires coconspirators and agitators to move the equity agenda forward so that Black girls and women are not burdened with the labor of undoing, disrupting, and dismantling systems of oppression that they did not create.

Challenging oppression: how grassroots anti-racism in Berlin breaks borders

ABSTRACT In recent years, the successful anti-migrant mobilization of populist radical right parties and movements in Germany has stimulated the anti-racist struggle. This article investigates the anti-racism of grassroots organizations that contest border regimes in Berlin. While grassroots anti-racism also intends to combat the ideology of populist radical right parties, it contributes distinctively to the debates on racism, colonialism and border regimes. Specifically, grassroots anti-racism sheds light on the mechanisms through which border regimes oppress and racialize migrants. Crucially, by acknowledging the imbrication between historical racial inequalities and border regimes, grassroots organizations weave an anti-racist struggle against border regimes that is emancipatory for racialized migrants. I contend that grassroots anti-racism contributes to tackling the pervasive historical amnesia (Hall, S. 2000. “Conclusion: The Multi-cultural Question.” In Un/settled Multiculturalisms: Diasporas, Entanglements, ‘Transruptions’, edited by B. Hesse. Zed Books) regarding colonialism and the role of racism in the construction of the German nation.

The role of race and ethnicity in the dermatology applicant match process

Objective: The field of dermatology is one of the least racially diverse specialties. We aimed to identify ways in which minorities become underrepresented within dermatology. Methods: We surveyed dermatology applicants who applied to Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ during the 2018–2019 application cycle and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Scottsdale, and Jacksonville during the 2019–2020 application cycles. Underrepresented minorities (URM) were defined as Latino/Latina, African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. Results: In total, 149 and 142 dermatology applicants completed the initial 2019 and 2020 surveys, 112 and 124 completed the follow-up surveys. The racial breakdown was 69.9% Caucasian, 23.7% Asian, 5.4% African American, 0.4% American Indian/Alaska Native, and 0.7% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. Eight percent identified as Hispanic/Latino. Median Step 1 scores were lower for URM (p<0.01). URM had more publications (p=0.01). There were no observed differences in away rotations or interviews attended. URM were less likely to match (76.7%) vs. Whites (88.4%) and Asians (96.0%; p=0.03). Conclusion: URM are taking out more loans, pursuing research fellowships more often than their White counterparts, publishing more, completing the same number of away rotations and interviews, yet have lower match rates leading to underrepresentation in the field. It is important to realize how Step scores might reflect and reproduce disparities between different racial/ethnic backgrounds, in turn influencing the racial composition of dermatology residency programs.

The role of race, ethnicity, and language in care transitions.

To identify areas where transition from hospital to community could be improved, with a special focus on racial, ethnic, and language differences. A cross-sectional survey administered by postal mail and bilingual telephone interviewers. Patients were randomly selected within strata by race, ethnicity, and language proficiency. A total of 224 patients (response rate: 63.5%) who had recently experienced a hospital stay completed the survey. Overall, 1 in 4 patients were alone at discharge. More than half of patients with limited English proficiency reported lack of access to medical interpreters and translated materials. We noted significant differences by race, ethnicity, and language in technology access and in patient-reported worries in the posthospital period. Hispanic or Latino patients and patients with limited English proficiency were less likely to report access to a computer and less likely to access the Patient Gateway portal. Black or African American patients were also less likely to use the Patient Gateway portal. Asian patients were more likely to be worried about getting home health services. Our findings highlight the enhanced difficulties that diverse patients may experience when transitioning from hospital to community-based settings. When considering how to best address the complex needs of diverse populations, interventions must be sensitive to the presence or absence of others, potential digital divides, and medical interpretation.

Review of "The Role of Race and Gender in the Career Experiences of Black/African American Academic Surgeons: A Survey of the Society of Black Academic Surgeons and a Call to Action" by Crown A, Berry C, Khabele D. et al. Annals of Surgery 2021;273:827-831.

Review of "The Role of Race and Gender in the Career Experiences of Black/African American Academic Surgeons: A Survey of the Society of Black Academic Surgeons and a Call to Action" by Crown A, Berry C, Khabele D. et al. Annals of Surgery 2021;273:827-831.

The role of race and scientific trust on support for COVID-19 social distancing measures in the United States.

Pundits and academics across disciplines note that the human toll brought forth by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States (U.S.) is fundamentally unequal for communities of color. Standing literature on public health posits that one of the chief predictors of racial disparity in health outcomes is a lack of institutional trust among minority communities. Furthermore, in our own county-level analysis from the U.S., we find that counties with higher percentages of Black and Hispanic residents have had vastly higher cumulative deaths from COVID-19. In light of this standing literature and our own analysis, it is critical to better understand how to mitigate or prevent these unequal outcomes for any future pandemic or public health emergency. Therefore, we assess the claim that raising institutional trust, primarily scientific trust, is key to mitigating these racial inequities. Leveraging a new, pre-pandemic measure of scientific trust, we find that trust in science, unlike trust in politicians or the media, significantly raises support for COVID-19 social distancing policies across racial lines. Our findings suggest that increasing scientific trust is essential to garnering support for public health policies that lessen the severity of the current, and potentially a future, pandemic.

Using QuantCrit to Advance an Anti-Racist Developmental Science: Applications to Mixture Modeling

How researchers use statistical analyses shapes their research toward or away from an anti-racist agenda. In this article, we demonstrate how developmental scientists can use the QuantCrit framework to critically examine the process of conducting quantitative analyses. In particular, we focus on mixture modeling to clearly demonstrate how the integration of QuantCrit can be achieved within a statistical technique. We first summarize the tenets of QuantCrit and how it has turned the lens of critical race theory onto quantitative methodology. Second, we provide a summary of the key concepts of mixture modeling. The main section of the article is organized according to three “moments” that occur in quantitative research: (1) development of the research question(s) and identification of analysis variables; (2) decision-making about the role of race in planned analyses; and (3) interpretation of the results through a theoretical framework. We describe each moment, illustrate how researchers can use QuantCrit principles within it, and offer as examples empirical articles from adolescent research where these strategies have been implemented during mixture modeling. It is our hope that readers will identify moments in their own analyses in which these (and other) principles could be applied.

Far from black and white: Role of race, health literacy, and socioeconomic factors in the presentation of acute diverticulitis

BackgroundRacial discrepancies in treatment and outcomes of acute diverticulitis have been observed, yet underlying factors are poorly understood. We aimed to identify racial inequalities in health literacy among patients hospitalized with acute diverticulitis and characterize factors associated with more severe presentation. MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort analysis of 947 Black or White patients admitted with acute diverticulitis at a quaternary referral center from January 2009 through September 2019. Health literacy was determined by the validated Brief Health Literacy Screening, and socioeconomic status was defined by the area deprivation index, a composite of multiple neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation measures. The primary outcome was severity of disease presentation represented by systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria; secondary outcomes included intensive care unit admission, length of stay, and invasive interventions. ResultsAmong all study participants, 121 (12.8%) self-identified as Black. Overall, 140 (14.8%) patients had inadequate health literacy, and 495 (52.3%) had area deprivation index greater than the national median. There was no association between race or area deprivation index and health literacy. A total of 340 (35.9%) patients met criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and 88 (9.3%) underwent an intervention; median length of stay was 3.5 days. Race, health literacy, and area deprivation index were not significantly associated with outcomes (P > .05). ConclusionAmong patients with acute diverticulitis, no difference in severity of presentation by race, health literacy, or area deprivation index was observed. These findings suggest that differences in presentation of acute diverticulitis may not be driven by these social factors. Future studies should include considerations of clinical characteristics of acute diverticulitis, such as the role of access and underuse of healthcare resources.

Care Recipient Controlling and Manipulative Behavior and Caregiver Depressive Symptoms: The Role of Race, Caregiver Resentment, and Mutual Communal Behavior.

We explored whether relationship quality, as measured by mutual communal behavior, would serve as a buffer against caregiver resentment and, consequently, depressive symptoms when care recipients (CRs) engage in problem behavior (i.e., controlling and manipulative behavior [CMB]). Using the common core model of caregiver distress, we hypothesized that caregiver resentment would explain why caregivers were depressed when their CRs engage in CMB. We predicted that the indirect effect of CRCMB on depressive symptoms via resentment would depend on the strength of the communal bond between the caregiver and CR. Resentment was expected to play a significant role in explaining the association between CRCMB and depressive symptoms for caregivers in less communal relationships, but a small or nonexistent role for those in highly communal relationships. We also investigated whether these effects were different for Black and White caregivers. Data were obtained from 187 Black and 247 White caregivers from the second Family Relationships in Late Life Project. Before testing our model, we confirmed the measurement equivalence/invariance of the four scales used in this study. Resentment mediated the association between CRCMB and depressive symptoms. However, the indirect effect was larger among highly communal caregivers. Caregiver race did not moderate the moderated mediation. The communal bond between the caregiver and CR does not entirely protect the caregiver from depressive symptoms, particularly among highly communal caregivers. Interventions aimed at improving caregiver outcomes should acknowledge the unique vulnerabilities of caregivers in close relationships.

Black-white racial disparities in household food insecurity from 2005 to 2014, Canada.

ObjectivesTo understand the differential vulnerability to household food insecurity of the Black population as compared with white counterparts in Canada.MethodsUsing data for households with Black and white respondents in pooled Canadian Community Health Survey cycles from 2005 to 2014, the 18-question Household Food Security Survey Module was analyzed (N = 491,400). Bivariate and multivariate logistic and multinomial regression models were run using respondent’s race, immigration status, and six well-established predictors of household food insecurity in the general population. Additional multivariable logistic regression models were run, with race interacted with each predictor individually to yield predicted probabilities.ResultsThe weighted prevalence of household food insecurity was 10.0% for white respondents and 28.4% for Black respondents. The odds of Black households being food-insecure as compared with white households fell from 3.56 (95% CI: 3.30–3.85) to 1.88 (95% CI: 1.70–2.08) with adjustment for household socio-demographic characteristics. In contrast with white households, there was relative homogeneity of risk of food insecurity among Black subgroups defined by immigration status, household composition, education, and province of residence. Homeownership was associated with lower probabilities of food insecurity for Black and white households, but the probability among Black owners was similar to that for white renters (14.7% vs. 14.3%). Black households had significantly higher predicted probabilities of food insecurity than their white counterparts across all main sources of household income except child benefits and social assistance.ConclusionBeing racialized as Black appears to be an overriding factor shaping vulnerability to food insecurity for the Black population in Canada. Future research and public policy on food insecurity should seriously consider the role of racism at the systemic and institutional levels.

The role of race in rural-urban suicide disparities.

To assess the role that race-ethnicity plays in modifying the observed rural-urban disparity in suicide among Veteran Health Administration (VHA) users. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 10,737,864 VHA users between 2003 and 2017, using cross-linked VHA medical records and National Death Index mortality data to assess longitudinal race-stratified rural-urban differences in age- and sex-adjusted annual suicide rates. We used Poisson regression and generated incident rate ratios (IRRs) to formally assess the impact of race on the rural-urban suicide disparity. Given evidence of effect modification, we performed additional race-stratified Poisson regression models. Rurality is significantly associated with a higher risk of suicide in models which do not control for race (IRR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.10-1.17). However, when race is added to the model, rural residence is no longer significant (0.98, CI: 0.95-1.01). Stratified models demonstrate that rural residence is significantly associated with a higher suicide risk among Hispanic VHA users (1.41, CI: 1.11-1.79), but it is not substantially associated with suicide among White (0.97, CI: 0.94-1.00) and Black (1.03, CI: 0.86-1.23) VHA users. White VHA users have considerably higher suicide rates than Black and Hispanic VHA users, though the suicide rate among Hispanic VHA users, particularly those in rural settings, increased markedly over the period of observation. Race significantly modifies the relationship between rural residence and suicide risk. Studies seeking to assess suicide disparity between rural and urban VHA user populations must include adjustment or stratification by race.

Social justice advocacy: the role of race and gender prejudice, injustice, and diversity experiences

ABSTRACT Applying the Resource Model of Political Participation, this study extended the emerging research on trainees’ social justice advocacy (SJA) by examining race and gender variables among 281 counselors-in-training. Although no racial and gender differences were found regarding trainees’ SJA, we found significant race and gender differences in trainees’ awareness of modern racism and sexism. Structural Equation Modeling revealed that exposure to racist and sexist events and participation in formal diversity experiences had significant links to SJA. Specifically, exposure to racist events and participation in formal and informal diversity experiences were negatively associated with color-blind racial attitudes. Exposure to sexist events was negatively linked to modern sexist beliefs. Implications for theory, training, and research are addressed.

Discourses about race in the United States: A thematic analysis of short essays

Conversations around race have come to the forefront of public discourses in the United States with incidents of police brutality leading to movements such as Black Lives Matter and its opposition, All Lives Matter. Although there is substantial psychological literature focusing on racial attitudes and intergroup relations, much of this research is experimental, failing to capture diverse and evolving viewpoints of people in the United States. In the present study, our aim was to understand folk definitions and diverse perspectives about the role of race in the United States in participants’ own words. We thematically analyzed submissions to The Race Card Project (n = 913), a publicly available platform, and responses from a sample of college students describing perspectives on race (n = 1092). A total of 27 identified themes were organized in four domains: opinions about race, race-based interactions, race and identity, and emotions. Opinions about race ranged from color-blind ideology to racial equality, race as divisive or providing community, and excessive focus on race. References were made to historic and current race relations, assumptions based on skin color, prejudice and discrimination, White privilege, and “reverse racism.” These findings contribute to evolving scholarly understanding of race in the United States, with implications for informing initiatives to promote race relations and reduce experiences of discrimination for individuals of color.

An Explanation on Role of Educational System in Ali Shariati Books from the Perspective of Critical Theory: A Comparative Review

The aim of present study is to explain role of educational system in the books of famous Iranian writer and revolutionary Ali Shariati from the perspective of critical theory. The method of research was qualitatively comparative (deductive approach) and method of data collection and analysis was documentary and content analysis respectively. In order to collect data, in addition to Shariati’s books and lectures (primary sources), books and articles available in Iranian and international libraries and information homepages (secondary sources) were used. Findings showed that Shariati's thoughts on role of the education system have been greatly influenced by views of critical theory’s proponents. There are also similarities between Shariati's views and critical education thinkers on negative role of education system in exacerbating social injustice and inequality and promoting a culture of silence. In addition, the research findings showed few differences. Shariati's attention to Eastern education and Islamic education as an alternative to Western education, the disregard of critical education advocates for the liberating role of religion, and Shariati's low emphasis on role of race and gender in analyzing the performance of educational system can be the most important differences between Shariati and critical theory scholars. The last point is that although the Western countries influenced by theory of critical education were able to establish a critical atmosphere of criticism, questioning, and active dialogue in their schools, but the fulfillment of Shariati's aspirations to change the political system did not lead to a fundamental reform in Iran's education system and challenges such as a centralized structure, a prescriptive curriculum, a passive teacher-student relationship, and a lack of critical and questioning space still persist

The role of race, religion, and partisanship in misperceptions about COVID-19

Concerns about misperceptions among the public are rampant. Yet, little work explores the correlates of misperceptions in varying contexts – that is, how do factors such as group affiliations, media exposure, and lived experiences correlate with the number of misperceptions people hold? We address these questions by investigating misperceptions about COVID-19, focusing on the role of racial/ethnic, religious, and partisan groups. Using a large survey, we find the number of correct beliefs held by individuals far dwarfs the number of misperceptions. When it comes to misperceptions, we find that minorities, those with high levels of religiosity, and those with strong partisan identities – across parties – hold a substantially greater number of misperceptions than those with contrasting group affiliations. Moreover, we show other variables (e.g., social media usage, number of COVID-19 cases in one’s county) do not have such strong relationships with misperceptions, and the group-level results do not reflect acquiescence to believing any information regardless of its truth value. Our results accentuate the importance of studying group-level misperceptions on other scientific and political issues and developing targeted interventions for these groups.

Aversive racism and community-instigated policing: The spatial politics of Nextdoor

I bring an understanding of the concept and practice of “aversive racism” to scholarly thinking about community formation. I argue that the exclusionary contours of community are in part a product of racialized in- and outgrouping from which people’s capacities for place-making are judged and localized policing is instigated. In bringing these concepts, formations, and practices together, this paper contributes to how urbanists might continue to think about the role of race in displacement, particularly as it plays out in the context of neighborhood change and gentrification more broadly. In the penultimate section I provide a discussion of the popular Nextdoor app as a means of illustrating a contemporary example of community-instigated policing and platform for what Dána-Ain Davis calls “muted racism.”

Race and neonatal respiratory morbidity in the late preterm period

Prematurity is one of the leading causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Some studies suggest that respiratory disease may differ by race in early preterm infants. However, the role of race in late preterm neonatal morbidity is not yet established. The objective of our study was to determine whether neonatal respiratory morbidity differs by race in neonates born late preterm. This was a secondary analysis of a randomized trial of women at high risk for late preterm delivery (Antenatal Late Preterm Steroids). Our study was limited to women with nonanomalous, singleton gestations, delivering between 34+0 to 36+6 weeks. Women were categorized into 4 groups by race: Black, White, Asian, or other/mixed. The primary outcome was a neonatal composite of treatment in the first 72 hours (continuous positive airway pressure or high-flow nasal cannula >2 hours, oxygen >4 hours, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or mechanical ventilation) or stillbirth or neonatal death before 72 hours. The secondary outcomes included severe respiratory morbidity (the primary outcome extending continuous positive airway pressure or high-flow nasal cannula to >12 continuous hours and oxygen to at least 24 continuous hours), respiratory distress syndrome, transient tachypnea of the newborn, apnea, neonatal intensive care unit admission, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and surfactant administration. The primary and secondary outcomes were assessed in the active (steroid) and placebo groups separately. We fit a logistic regression model to adjust for confounders related to respiratory morbidity. Of a total of 2331 included women, 26.9% (n=627) were Black/African American, 57.1% (n=1333) White, 3.56% (n=83) Asian, and 12.36% (n=288) were other/mixed. In the placebo group, the rate of the primary outcome was significantly higher in Whites (18.6%) and Asians (22.8%) compared with the African American/Black group (12.3%) (P=.03). Adjusting for confounders, the primary outcome was not significant between the groups. The primary predictor for respiratory morbidity was a prior pregnancy with neonatal respiratory morbidity. Findings were similar in the steroid group, but severe respiratory morbidity was less common in Black infants compared with White infants (adjusted odds ratio, 0.45; 95% confidence interval, 0.24-0.83). However, a prior pregnancy with neonatal respiratory complications was no longer associated with respiratory morbidity after receipt of betamethasone. Late preterm respiratory morbidity was similar between racial groups. Although a history of pregnancy with previous neonatal respiratory disease is the strongest risk factor for recurrence, this risk factor is mitigated by the receipt of steroids.

Trajectories of COVID-19 vaccine intentions among U.S. adults: The role of race and ethnicity

Research examining whether intentions to get a COVID-19 vaccine change over time is scarce. Moreover, the deep and pervasive history of medical racism in the U.S. has created a context in which some racial and ethnic groups exhibit greater levels of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy; yet few researchers have attempted to determine whether these patterns persist with time. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a.) assess the role of time in COVID-19 vaccine intentions from April 2020 to January 2021, and (b.) examine whether race and ethnicity shape COVID-19 vaccine intention trajectories. Data were drawn from 9 waves of the Understanding America Study (n = 5023), a national probability panel study of U.S. adults. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to assess overall COVID-19 vaccine intention trajectories and trajectories by race and ethnicity. Results demonstrate intentions to get a COVID-19 vaccine significantly decreased from April 2020 to November 2020, but by January 2021, intentions to get a COVID-19 vaccine slightly increased. Findings also show trajectories significantly differed by racial and ethnic background. Asian/Pacific Islanders had the highest probability of likely getting a COVID-19 vaccine at baseline, followed by Whites and Latina/os. Black Americans exhibited the lowest probability of likely getting vaccinated, and, in most cases, the gap between Black Americans and other racial groups grew over time. Key findings from this study demonstrate that, among U.S. adults, time and race and ethnicity play significant roles in COVID-19 vaccine intentions. Understanding the role of time and race and racism in shaping COVID-19 vaccine intention trajectories can help government agencies and public health experts tasked with administrating vaccines better understand disparities in vaccine uptake.

The Role of Race in Admission to a Dual Diagnosis Unit Versus General Inpatient Psychiatric Unit in those with Active Substance Use

Psychiatric disorders are highly comorbid with substance use disorders, and the presence of co-occurring conditions increases severity of illness and complicates recovery. Those with comorbid mental illness and substance use disorders may benefit from specialized services, specifically integrated dual diagnosis treatment. Admission to a dual diagnosis unit requires health care providers to consider a number of factors, including severity of illness, psychiatric history, bed availability, and providers’ perceived likelihood of benefit of specialized services. Ideally, decisions regarding the necessity of substance use treatment are made independent of race, and yet, racial disparities exist among those who are offered substance use treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the demographic differences of patients who are identified as having active substance use admitted from the comprehensive psychiatric emergency program (CPEP) to a dual diagnosis unit versus those admitted to a general inpatient psychiatric unit. Our study consists of a retrospective analysis of patients, aged 18–90 (n = 100), admitted to either a dual diagnosis unit (8B) or general psychiatric unit (6K) at Mount Sinai Beth Israel (MSBI), a private metropolitan hospital in New York City, between November 1st to November 30th, 2020. We hypothesized that there are racial disparities in unit assignments while accounting for a variety of potentially relevant demographic and clinical variables. The primary outcome was a comparison of demographic factors, particularly racial composition, of those admitted to the dual diagnosis unit versus those admitted to the general psychiatric unit. After accounting for 6 clinical and 3 other demographic variables, patients of Black race were over 5 times more likely (adjusted odds ratio 5.31; P = 0.011) to be assigned to 8B than patients of White, Asian, or Other race. Additional contributors to 8B assignment were male gender, IM or IV PRNs, and documented substance use (Table 1). There were no significant differences between Black and Non-Black patients in rates of substance use detected on toxicology (Table 2). These findings suggest that race may be a driving factor in unit assignment, and unconscious racial bias may potentially confound admission decision-making, limiting access to available resources and services for some populations. More research is needed to understand factors contributing to racial disparities in substance use treatment.

The Role of Race in Relations of Social Support to Hippocampal Volumes Among Older Adults.

Evidence suggests social support may buffer brain pathology. However, neither its association with hippocampal volume, a marker of Alzheimer's disease risk, nor the role of race in this association has been fully investigated. Multiple regression analyses examined relations of total social support to magnetic resonance imaging-assessed gray matter (GM) hippocampal volumes in the total sample (n = 165; mean age = 68.48 year), and in race-stratified models of African American and White older adults, adjusting for select covariates. Results showed greater social support was associated with greater GM hippocampal volumes among African American older adults only (p < .01). Our findings suggest greater total social support may play a role in supporting the hippocampus, particularly among African American older adults, who had lower hippocampal volumes than their White counterparts. Further research is needed to test these questions longitudinally and examine which aspects of social support may promote hippocampal integrity, specifically.