Race/Ethnicity

Substance use disorders contribute to a growing number of deaths, yet they often go undiagnosed and untreated. While nearly three-quarters of Medicaid enrollees with a diagnosed substance use disorder utilized some type of treatment service in 2020, medication treatment rates varied widely, being much lower for alcohol use disorder than opioid use disorder, and lower among Black enrollees and youth compared to their counterparts. Treatment rates varied considerably across states and average Medicaid spending for people with a diagnosed substance use disorder is over twice as high compared to those without a substance use disorder.

KFF President and CEO Drew Altman explains why data and facts, policy plans and lists of accomplishments do not connect with many voters. Understanding the symbolic dimensions of politics and issues is critical for experts. We can reach a share of the public with facts and data but need additional strategies to reach everyone, including storytelling and trusted messengers.

disparity, Disparities

From the 2023 KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants – the largest nationally representative survey focused on this group – comes five key facts about information gaps regarding public charge rules and how these information gaps can prevent immigrants from getting financial assistance they need.

Majorities of U.S. adults perceive racism to be a major problem in politics, the criminal justice system, and policing, with some variance across racial and ethnic groups, while a third see racism as a major problem in health care. This may reflect high levels of trust in health care professionals compared to the police and the courts.

About a third (32%) of the public view racism as a major problem in health care, fewer than say the same about politics (56%), the criminal justice system (54%), and policing (51%), a new KFF report on the public’s views of racism finds. The lower levels of perceived racism in…

This brief provides an overview of diversity in clinical trials, disparities in access to novel drug therapies and other treatments, and the implications for health and health care.

This brief examines how past policies and events are linked to present-day disparities among Black people in health and health care.

A new KFF analysis of provisional 2022 data from the Centers for Disease Control shows that the recent increases in firearm death rates among children and adolescents ages 17 and under were driven largely by gun assaults, which accounted for 66% of firearm deaths among young people in 2022, up…

Gun violence has increased in recent years and adversely affects many children and adolescents. This brief explores the disproportionate impacts of gun violence on children of color and male youth and the negative mental health consequences associated with gun violence. It contains current and trend data on firearm death rates among children and adolescents ages 17 and under.