Black children twice as likely to have food allergies than white children

A recent study that involved 1,100 2 year olds in Boston found that black children were twice as likely to have an immune response to foods such as peanuts, milk, eggs and almost four times as likely to have a sensitization to three or more foods in comparison to white children. In addition, if a child's DNA had more African ancestry, the child was more likely to have a food sensitization to any food, especially that of peanuts. The foods tested included eggs, milk, peanuts, soy, shrimp, walnuts, wheat and cod. Many of the children involved in the study were from an urban area and low-income homes.

Stress and racial disparities in health

A new study conducted by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) show that African Americans and U.S-born Hispanics have higher levels of stress than whites and foreign-born Hispanics. Multiple stressors correlate with poor physical/mental health, with financial & relationship stressors exhibiting the largest and most consistent effects.

The researchers believe that this stress helps to explain why these groups often have poorer health than whites.

Study: Immigrant Hispanics less stressed, healthier

According to a recent article on CNN, immigrant Hispanics are less stressed and healthier than American-born Hispanics. The study, published in the Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race, found that in addition to education and income disparities, higher levels among Hispanics and African-Americans leads to worse health outcomes among those populations.

he study was conducted by Harvard School of Public Health researchers using data from 3,105 adults in the Chicago Community Adult Health Study.

Groups take aim at disparities facing African-Americans

According to a recent article in The News Gazette, groups from three systems that help children in trouble - schools, child-welfare agencies, and juvenile justice- gathered together to see how they could eliminate disproportionality. With less than 22% of Champaign County children being African-American, the group makes up 63% of out-of-school suspensions in Urbana, 60% of child-welfare cases, 81% of discipline referrals in the Champaign schools, and 82% of juvenile detention admissions within the county, the groups are looking for ways to help eliminate the disparities faced by African-American families.

Documentary of Interest: Vision Test

This short film is an excellent tool that helps the viewer think about the biases one may have when it comes to selecting both males and females of different races to be the next president, a business owner, a supervisor, or a mate for their own children. The film closes out with a vision test for the viewer to determine what their biases are when it comes to the question of what is more American when it comes to religion, art, and historical leaders.

Racial violence in Philadelphia school

A recent MSNBC article describes the racial violence occurring between Asian and African-American students at a Philadelphia high school. According to some, the friction has been caused not because of racial hatred but because of simmering resentment against the perceived benefits for Asian students. The resentment came to a head one day with close to 30 Asian students being injured by mostly African-American students. Past attacks had been reported to school officials and police, but students said that nothing had changed.

Most students blame the attacks on a small group of trouble-makers and don't endorse the violent actions that have been taken against another minority group. In the wake of this violence, the school has established 50-50 programs that bring together groups of Asian and African-American students to participate in school-sponsored group outings. In addition, more bilingual trainers and diversity training has been added.