Read on Twitter
1\\ An urban legend that refuses to die is the idea that "BIPOC patients are more likely to die in childbirth" and that this must reflect systemic racism
This idea is taken so seriously that it's now the subject of proposed legislation: https://twitter.com/RepPressley/status/1390392689728892932
This idea is taken so seriously that it's now the subject of proposed legislation: https://twitter.com/RepPressley/status/1390392689728892932
2\\ Unsurprisingly, the CDC is in on the grift
They are spending $45M to investigate the supposed problem
They've also hitched their wagon to the eternally unproven, eternally un-disprovable "Implicit Bias" theory of structural racism
No doubt more speaking tours for Kendi!
They are spending $45M to investigate the supposed problem
They've also hitched their wagon to the eternally unproven, eternally un-disprovable "Implicit Bias" theory of structural racism
No doubt more speaking tours for Kendi!
3\\ So how bad is the problem?
CDC's landing page for the topic is curiously fixated on one disparity: 4-5x worse for blacks than for whites
Obviously, the reader is invited to believe that these must be the extremes of the spectrum
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p0905-racial-ethnic-disparities-pregnancy-deaths.html
CDC's landing page for the topic is curiously fixated on one disparity: 4-5x worse for blacks than for whites
Obviously, the reader is invited to believe that these must be the extremes of the spectrum
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p0905-racial-ethnic-disparities-pregnancy-deaths.html
4\\ Let's click through to the actual CDC data
Again, the only graphic on the page has whites at one end and blacks at the other
Again, "implicit racial bias" and "structural racism" are hypothesized
Gosh, this looks bad! https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6835a3.htm?s_cid=mm6835a3_w
Again, the only graphic on the page has whites at one end and blacks at the other
Again, "implicit racial bias" and "structural racism" are hypothesized
Gosh, this looks bad! https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6835a3.htm?s_cid=mm6835a3_w
5\\ So let's click (yet again) on a link to more granular data
What's this?!
Hispanic mothers have better outcomes than whites?
Asian mothers are about the same as whites?
How can "structural racism" explain these facts?
What's this?!
Hispanic mothers have better outcomes than whites?
Asian mothers are about the same as whites?
How can "structural racism" explain these facts?
6\\ Of course, structural racism *can't* explain those facts. But an even better question is: why is the CDC playing the race baiting game?
Why hide data? Why manipulate data?
Veterans of the COVID-19 info wars will perhaps not be surprised by this bad behavior
Why hide data? Why manipulate data?
Veterans of the COVID-19 info wars will perhaps not be surprised by this bad behavior
7\\ As ever, know that "BIPOC" is seldom a term used in good faith
The differences *between* BIPOC groups (e.g. between blacks and Asians) are often larger than the differences between whites and *any* group
Race baiting is dumb. We should stop being polite to those who do it
The differences *between* BIPOC groups (e.g. between blacks and Asians) are often larger than the differences between whites and *any* group
Race baiting is dumb. We should stop being polite to those who do it
8\\ If "implicit bias" isn't to blame for racial differences in perinatal complications, what is?
It occurred to me that there are two topics our society is deathly afraid of discussing: race and obesity
It wouldn't surprise me if the answer lies at their intersection. Let's see
It occurred to me that there are two topics our society is deathly afraid of discussing: race and obesity
It wouldn't surprise me if the answer lies at their intersection. Let's see
9\\ Sure enough, obesity and perinatal complications are strongly linked, and this link is strongest among the morbidly obese (BMI > 40)
10\\ But do races differ in propensity for morbid obesity?
Yup. Massively.
And the differences almost perfectly match the differences in maternal deaths in childbirth: blacks high, hispanics low, whites intermediate
(CDC prefers the euphemism "severe" over "morbid")
Yup. Massively.
And the differences almost perfectly match the differences in maternal deaths in childbirth: blacks high, hispanics low, whites intermediate
(CDC prefers the euphemism "severe" over "morbid")
11\\ Even the Asian anomaly (lowest in morbid obesity, second highest in maternal mortality) may have a solution:
The NHANES data the CDC uses for obesity appears to distinguish between Asians (skinny) and Pacific Islanders (fat), but the maternal data combines the two
The NHANES data the CDC uses for obesity appears to distinguish between Asians (skinny) and Pacific Islanders (fat), but the maternal data combines the two
12\\ With perinatal complications as with COVID-19, we see the CDC subordinating science to politics: they would rather conjure up imaginary "systemic racism" than contradict the faddish notion that "big is beautiful"
Well, big also kills.
Well, big also kills.
