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Health disparities in chronic liver disease
Ani Kardashian1, Marina Serper2,3,4, Norah Terrault1
1Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , California , USA.
Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.)
|August 22, 2022
Summary
Hazardous alcohol use, obesity, and opioid use worsen liver disease disparities, especially for women and minorities. Addressing social factors is key to improving liver health equity.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Public Health
- Social Epidemiology
Background:
- The convergence of hazardous alcohol consumption, opioid use, and obesity has significantly altered liver disease patterns, worsening existing health disparities.
- Health disparities in chronic liver disease disproportionately affect socially disadvantaged groups, necessitating a focus on their sources and consequences.
- Increases in alcohol use disorder among women, minorities, and impoverished individuals, coupled with limited treatment access, are driving higher rates of alcohol-associated liver diseases.
Conclusions:
- Social and structural factors significantly drive health disparities in chronic liver diseases.
- Urgent need for more diverse data on autoimmune and cholestatic liver diseases.
- A multi-level approach involving health policy, systems, community, and individual interventions is required to promote equity and improve liver health outcomes.
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