Black Children Hit Harder By Asthma, But Underrepresentation In Studies Leaves Researchers At A Loss
Black children are 10 times more likely than white kids to die of complications from asthma, and scientists want to find genetic clues that may have been overlooked in the past. But the studies don't include very many minority populations.
KQED:
Blacks Die From Asthma At Steep Rates, But Are Absent From Many Studies
Asthma is the leading chronic disease among children, but it hits some populations harder than others. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, black children are twice as likely to have asthma as white children. And black children are 10 times more likely than white kids to die of complications from asthma. A team of UCSF scientists is on a mission to understand why. The researchers are digging into genetic clues that may have been overlooked until now. (McClurg, 6/6)
In other public health news —
KPCC:
LA Fire Dept Proposes Program For Alcoholics Who Overuse 9-11 System
The Los Angeles Fire Department keeps a list of “frequent flyers” of emergency medical services. They’re called “superusers,” and in 2015 alone, the top 40 superusers in Los Angeles accounted for about 2000 emergency responses. (Javier, 6/7)
The Sacramento Bee:
How Doctors Are Treating Strokes In Even Less Time
Traditionally, vascular surgeons used ultrasound and lasers or clot-busting drugs to break up blood clots. Stent retrievers, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2012, are a newer innovation, along with new generations of flexible suction catheters. Used at Sutter Health and other local hospitals, they are considered a better way to quickly remove large blood clots. (Buck, 6/6)