Parkinson's Disease Inequities in Daily Cognitive Activities: An Intersectional Approach.

Objective: Intersectionality approaches to examining differences in Parkinson's disease (PD) based on racialized group, gender identity, and socioeconomic status (SES) are not well covered in the literature. Additionally, the differences in daily cognitive activities for persons diagnosed with PD by racialized group, gender, and SES are undetermined. This study was conducted to explore the differences in PD daily cognitive activities for diverse racialized groups by gender and SES. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of the Michael J. Fox Foundation's Fox Insight online clinical dataset. Persons with PD were partitioned into 16 racialized by gender groups (Black women, Indigenous men, Latina/x women, Asian men, etc.) that were used in within-group comparisons of low-, middle-, and high-SES-a new variable comprising education and income. Results: Intersectional analyses revealed most items differed between low-SES and high-SES except for items associated with Black and Indigenous men, for whom significant differential item functioning was found between mid-SES and high-SES. Conclusions: These findings revealed that within-group differences exist and may be missed in research in which social factors are adjusted for instead of included in the model.

Unspoken Consequences of Structural Racism in the USA: Diabetes and COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are disproportionately impacted by the diabetes epidemic. This health inequity, aggravated by environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors, has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The increased risk of severe complications due to COVID-19 in BIPOC communities speaks to the importance of understanding the impacts of social and structural factors on health. This report aims to outline the connection between diabetes and vulnerability to COVID-19 through the lens of racism. STUDY DESIGN: Review of original report and subsequent modeling and interpretations. METHODS: We reviewed and analyzed original data in relation to health inequity, diabetes, COVID-19, and BIPOC. RESULTS: This holistic approach framed the disproportionate prevalence of diabetes and vulnerability to COVID-19 not just as a health disparity, but as a health inequity. CONCLUSION: Defining the relationship between diabetes, vulnerability to COVID-19, and systems of advantage, such as racism, can further support the design of health interventions and policies that reduce the disproportionate impact of these diseases on the health of BIPOC communities.