Episode 147: Racial Disparities in MS Care with Dr. Jackie Bhattarai

Over the past several weeks, the United States has been forced to re-visit, re-examine, and reconsider its own history of racial inequality. This difficult but necessary national conversation has been driven by instances of racial injustice that have their origins in much broader systemic or institutional racism. Our conversations on RealTalk MS typically focus on multiple sclerosis research and multiple sclerosis care. So how does the subject of racial inequality find its way onto today's episode?     My guest is Dr. Jackie Bhattarai, a clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Bhattarai's research is focused on identifying and understanding the causes of racial disparities in multiple sclerosis care. I think you'll find our conversation thought-provoking, maybe surprising and, I hope, concerning.    We're also inviting you to this week's International Progressive MS Alliance global webcast when an international panel of MS experts will share the progress being made to speed the development of life-changing treatments for progressive MS. Our experts will also update us on the experiences of people living with MS who have contracted COVID-19, and how people with MS can minimize their risks during the pandemic.   We'll tell you about a new National Institutes of Health grant aimed at determining the reliability of a proposed biomarker for MS. And we'll share the sobering results of a new study about MS and depression.   We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! Don't miss the International Progressive MS Alliance Webcast  1:30 Cleveland Clinic receives NIH grant to study MS diagnostic biomarker  3:58 Depression is 2-3 times more likely in MS patients  6:23 My Interview with Dr. Jackie Bhattarai  9:21 Share this episode  26:35 Please Support the National MS Society COVID-19 Response Fund  26:54 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email:  https://realtalkms.com/147 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected]: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com National MS Society's Ask An MS Expert Video Replay What You Need to Know About Coronavirus (COVID-19) National MS Society COVID-19 Response Fund International Progressive MS Alliance Webcast Registration STUDY: Incident Depression in Patients Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis: A Multi-Database Study Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Give RealTalk MS a Rating and Review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 147 Hosted By: Jon Strum Guests: Dr. Jackie Bhattarai Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS Privacy Policy