PHILADELPHIA /PRNewswire/ — Black Americans (63%) are significantly more likely than Hispanic Americans (49%) and White Americans (47%) to have no awareness of celiac disease and/or gluten-sensitivity, suggesting potential health inequities in both diagnosis and treatment, according to a nationwide benchmark survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Beyond Celiac, the leading catalyst for a celiac disease cure. Other research indicates celiac disease diagnosis and treatment disparities for Black Americans.
A serious autoimmune condition that causes damage to the small intestine resulting in debilitating symptoms, celiac disease, if left untreated, can lead to a number of long-term health problems including infertility and some types of cancer. Celiac disease affects one in 133 Americans.
Other key findings about Black Americans and celiac disease from the 2022 Beyond Celiac Survey Report
indicating lack of awareness and health information about celiac disease and/or gluten-sensitivity include:
- Only 8% of Black Americans know that celiac disease often runs in families, compared to 21% of Hispanic Americans and 24% of White Americans.
- Only 37% of Black Americans, compared to 52% of Hispanic Americans and 58% of White Americans, realize that following a strict 100% gluten-free diet is how someone with celiac disease controls it today.
- Only 33% of Black Americans are aware that someone with celiac disease who strictly follows a gluten-free diet still has to worry about experiencing celiac disease symptoms or health conditions caused by it, whereas 41% of Hispanic Americans and 56% of White Americans know it.
“Celiac disease is not only mis-understood, it is also misdiagnosed. We know equal access to healthcare information, diagnosis and treatment is a concern on many levels including for people of color. These inequities place Black Americans at greater risk for poor health outcomes especially when it comes to a condition like celiac disease which is hard to diagnose and has no treatment or cure,” Beyond Celiac CEO Alice Bast said.
Additional Disparity Research
In a study by the University of Chicago and Harvard School of Public Health, researchers found that Black Americans who have symptoms associated with celiac disease have 90% decreased odds of receiving the appropriate follow-up for diagnosis.
At the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a new registry of celiac disease patients showed that Black Americans with biopsy-confirmed celiac disease were more likely than non-Hispanic White Americans to have negative results on the most commonly-used diagnostic blood test for celiac disease, the anti-tissue transglutaminase immunoglobulin A (TTG) blood test. A positive TTG test will often trigger an endoscopy and biopsy for celiac disease diagnosis. The study raised the question of whether further confirmatory testing for celiac disease is deterred in Black Americans in general clinical practice. Eighty percent of Black patients with biopsy-confirmed celiac disease in the registry had TTG test results that were less than the upper limit of normal, compared to about 9 percent of non-Hispanic White patients in the registry. Additionally Black patients were much less likely to have tests for the genes associated with celiac disease.
Moving Forward
“We believe is important that all Americans understand the symptoms of celiac disease so they can advocate for their own health, including gaining an accurate diagnosis and the treatment needed to live a healthy life,” Bast said. “Beyond Celiac is taking action to increase awareness, diagnosis and treatment for Black Americans.” Two examples of this action are the NMQF project and Voices of Celiac Disease Project.
In partnership with the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF), Beyond Celiac is examining and addressing health inequities in the diagnosis and treatment of celiac disease. Beyond Celiac and NMQF, a leading advocacy organization on issues of health disparity, are investigating the extent of undiagnosed celiac disease, particularly among non-Caucasians, through analysis of Medicare and Medicaid data. The goal is to map celiac disease across the United States to drive diagnosis and ensure clinical trials include a diverse, representative patient population.
In the Beyond Celiac Voices of Celiac Disease project, non-whites with celiac disease have shared stories of being dismissed by physicians who told them they could not have celiac disease because of their race and, thus delaying diagnosis due to race.
The Harris Poll Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Beyond Celiac from February 8-10, 2022 among 2,039 adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 2.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact cbaker@beyondceliac.org
About Beyond Celiac
Founded in 2003, Beyond Celiac is the leading catalyst for a celiac disease cure in the United States, serving as a patient advocacy and research-driven organization working to drive diagnosis and accelerate the discovery of new treatments. By engaging with the top scientists in the field, making the right investments in research and supporting the broad community of those with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, Beyond Celiac envisions a world in which people can live healthy lives and eat without fear – a world Beyond Celiac. www.BeyondCeliac.org.
SOURCE Beyond Celiac
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(Family Features) Taking good care of your skin all year long is essential, but even more so in the summer when the power of the sun is at its strongest. Healthy skin doesn’t require fancy moisturizers or expensive skin care products. You just need to adopt a few healthy habits.
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A study published in the journal “Antioxidants,” in which people consumed 2 1/4 cups of grapes every day for two weeks, showed increased resistance to sunburn and reduced markers of UV damage at the cellular level. This study reinforced previous and similar findings published in the “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.” Grapes are also a hydrating food with 82% water content; hydration is essential to healthy skin.
Along with snacking on fresh, delicious California grapes, consider these everyday ways you can keep your skin safe from the sun’s rays.
Seek Shade
Most experts recommend avoiding the sun at the height of the day, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when its rays are at full strength. That doesn’t mean you can’t be outside – just seek shade as often as possible while enjoying the warm summer air.
Prioritize Hydration
Drinking water and staying hydrated is important year-round, but especially when it’s hot and you’re more likely to lose water content through sweat. Keep your body full of moisture with simple and delicious Grape-Infused Waters. For a zesty kick, try Grape, Ginger and Lime that combines the sweetness of grapes with the zing of ginger and lime, or Grape, Lemon and Mint, offering a bright and invigorating blend of citrus and mint. Enter your Zen state with a mellow, spa-like sip from Grape, Cucumber and Mint.
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While you’re enjoying the sunshine, layer up with a generous application of 30 SPF or higher sunscreen every 1-2 hours. Wear lightweight, long-sleeve shirts; wide-brimmed hats; sunglasses; and other protective clothing to reduce sun exposure, which can lead to wrinkles, age spots and other health problems, including an increased risk of skin cancer.
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(Family Features) Senior year of high school is a time for big changes for most people, but for Emani McConnell-Brent, she did not expect it would include changes to her health. After being rushed to the emergency room with severe stomach pain, McConnell-Brent learned the problem was her kidneys and she was diagnosed with a kidney disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).
After her diagnosis, McConnell-Brent struggled to get the right medicines to treat her disease. She was encouraged to undergo a genetic test and discovered her FSGS was the result of APOL1-mediated kidney disease (AMKD), a rapidly progressive genetic kidney disease that can cause kidney failure. The diagnosis brought McConnell-Brent some relief, both physically and emotionally.
“Knowing it’s genetic and knowing I’m taking care of myself makes a big difference in my mental state,” said McConnell-Brent, now 21 and an ambassador for the American Kidney Fund.
Everyone has two copies of the apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene – one from each parent – but Black Americans of West and Central African ancestry are more likely to have changes (variants or mutations) in their APOL1 gene that cause AMKD. This genetic form of kidney disease can develop even at a young age, in otherwise healthy people, and can advance faster than other kidney diseases.
An estimated 13% of Black Americans have the two APOL1 gene variants that are associated with AMKD. Those who have variants in both copies of the APOL1 gene have a 1 in 5 chance of developing kidney disease.
“A lot of people don’t even know about how prevalent the APOL1 gene is in the African American community,” McConnell-Brent said.
Early diagnosis of AMKD can keep your kidneys working longer, delaying the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant.
If you have kidney damage, symptoms may not occur until your kidneys are close to failing. As kidney damage worsens, one or more of these symptoms may occur:
Ian McDonough, Associate Professor of Psychology, Binghamton University, State University of New York
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
