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Share on Pinterest Fly View Productions/Getty ImagesAround 60 million women in the US have cardiovascular disease (CVD).Women from racial and ethnic minority groups are at greater risk of CVD death.A new American Heart Association (AHA) statement emphasizes that doctors must also consider social determinants of health when screening for CVD.These include factors such as discrimination, environment, and language barriers.

An estimated 60 million women in the US (equal to 44% of the population) live with some form of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Additionally, 1 in 5 deaths among women stems from CVD with those from racial and ethnic minorities at greater risk.

Traditional contributing factors, such as obesity, smoking, diabetes, and high cholesterol, are frequently considered by doctors when assessing a patients CVD risk.

However, a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA), published in its journal Circulation, highlighted that medical professionals must look beyond these when monitoring and treating CVD in women, especially those from underrepresented groups.

In comparison to other women, Black women in the US (including African American and Afro Caribbean) have the highest rate of heart disease, stated Dr. Heather M. Johnson,a preventive cardiologist at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, part of Baptist Health South Florida, who was not involved with the report.

The AHA researchers stated that nontraditionalsocio-economic factors such as discrimination and environment must be considered if the gap in CVD treatment and survival between whites and racial and ethnic groups is to be reduced.

Many of these are often overlooked but can significantly affect health risks, care, and outcomes.

Understanding both traditional and nontraditional risk factors are important to prevent heart disease, but also to support the early diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in women, Johnson told Healthline. How bias, discrimination, and racism can affect your health

In the statement, the researchers said: Behavioral and environmental factors and social determinants of health disproportionately affect women of underrepresented races and ethnicities.

These factors result in a higher prevalence of CVD and significant challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular conditions, they added.

Five social determinants of health were emphasized in the AHAs statement. But what are they and how do they influence CVD?Discrimination

The AHA noted that discriminatory barriers faced by ethnic communities lead to high levels of stress. This, in turn, contributes to CVD issues such as inflammation and hypertension.

Research also highlights that minority groups can encounter racial bias and stereotyping from white healthcare providers which may lead to patients having their concerns dismissed or receiving poorer care.

Studies show this is often due to the activation of stereotypes that influence clinical judgment, said Heather Orom, PhD, associate professor of community health and health behavior at the University at Buffalo.

Furthermore, when actions are perceived as racially motivated or discriminatory, this can put a wedge between provider and patient and create an environment of mistrust, said Dr. Deborah L. Crabbe, a professor of medicine at the Temple Heart and Vascular Institute at Lewis Katz School of Medicine.

As a result, she told Healthline, patients may not follow through with care recommendations and may even seek other providers, perhaps delaying care for their medical condition.Language barriers

Understanding medical terms and phrasing can be tricky enough for patients at the best of times. However, things are complicated further when the doctor and patient dont share the same first language.

Language barriers can reduce patients satisfaction with their care, care quality, and safety, explained Orom.

Furthermore, she told Healthline, such barriers can hinder the doctor-patient relationship, prevent patients from advocating for themselves, and inhibit the doctor from understanding the full complexity of a patients condition and their life circumstances. Environment

The AHA statement revealed that environmental factors, such as air pollution, high long-term arsenic exposure, and cadmium and lead exposure, have been linked to CVD.

Studies show minority groups are more likely to live in areas with more air pollution and closer proximity to toxic waste and other hazards.

For decades, polluting industries, waste facilities, and other sources of exposure, such as highways systems, have been more likely to be placed in neighborhoods of color, Orom revealed. This stems from the fact these communities have had less political and economic clout. Assimilation to a different culture

The AHA statement didnt expressly state how acculturation or assimilation to a different culture can impact CVD.

However, this is an important factor for CVD that often is missed, stated Dr. Yu-Ming Ni, a cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center.

For instance, he shared with Healthline that older studies of Japanese individuals showed those who traveled to Hawaii and then to the continental U.S. had higher CVD rates than their peers who stayed in Japan.Healthcare access

It was noted in the AHA statement that there is evidence that SDOH factors experienced in youth, such as inability to access healthcare or inability to afford care, may affect heart health into adulthood and contribute to CVD risk factors and outcomes in adulthood.

Research shows that Black, Hispanic, Asian-American, and Native individuals are less likely to have health insurance.

But healthcare access isnt only about insurance, said Crabbe. For example, [it also] includes geographic access to a particular health care service.

Orom concurred, stating there is a typically lack of high-quality healthcare facilities in neighborhoods where people of color have historically lived.

Other social burdens can limit access, too. For example, United States Census Bureau data shows that ethnic minority groups are generally poorer compared to white populations. Poverty can prevent individuals from purchasing necessary medications, for example.

Finally, Michele Horan, a registered nurse and COO of Healthy Alliance, shared that other daily stressors such as care responsibilities and the potential of eviction can reduce the capacity of underserved communities to access healthcare.

In most cases, these urgent situations are prioritized over ones health and well-being, Horan told Healthline. Addressing life challenges, in my experience, will almost always surpass healthcare, accessible or not. What to discuss with your doctor

If you think youre at higher risk of CVD, its crucial to ensure your doctor is aware of your concerns and potential risk profile.

Ni said discussing with your doctor means they can be more aggressive with screening.

For example, doctors might choose to test for disease states with no symptoms earlier than usual if the fear is that someone has a higher risk due to the environment they live in, he explained.

Tests and screenings generally vary depending on the patient and their history.

Its recommended that everyone understands their individual risk for heart disease and has a preventive heart health evaluation, Johnson said.

This assessment, she explained, includes a detailed discussion of their traditional and nontraditional risk factors for heart disease.

According to Johnson, further preventative screening tests are also possible and include:Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)Coronary artery calcium scan (also known as a calcium score)Special cholesterol tests What can healthcare professionals do to help?

According to the AHA researchers, culturally sensitive, peer-led community and healthcare professional education is a necessary step in CVD prevention.

Language barriers can be overcome by providing translators or simply using language apps, such as Google Translate. Studies show that using such app in healthcare settings can significantly improve both doctor and patient satisfaction.

Horan said healthcare providers need to screen patients from minority groups in a culturally competent and sensitive way.

Identifying barriers and the root cause behind them with a proactive lens is often the only way to effectively coordinate care in a manner that addresses their patients full spectrum of needs, she asserted.

Education is vital for both medical professionals and patients, said Crabbe.

Healthcare organizations can provide training and education to staff regarding the challenges that minorities and women face in receiving healthcare, she noted.

Meanwhile, Crabbe continued, opportunities to provide education to improve the health literacy of minorities and women could help improve patient acceptance of healthcare recommendations, and thus compliance.

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BAFTA Games Awards: Astro Bot tops leaderboard – with psychological horror close behind

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BAFTA Games Awards: Astro Bot tops leaderboard - with psychological horror close behind

Astro Bot was the big winner at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards, taking home five prizes, including the coveted best game.

The 3D platformer, which was launched to critical acclaim in September to mark PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, was nominated for eight gongs, while Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, led with 11 nods.

But in the end, the critics – some of whom had dubbed Astro Bot a “perfect game” – were right as it dominated the awards at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, hosted by comedian Phil Wang for the second year running.

Astro Bot
Pic:Team Asobi
https://www.teamasobi.com/games/astro-bot
Image:
Astro Bot. Pic: Team Asobi

Nicholas Doucet with his five awards for Astro Bot. Pic: PA
Image:
Nicolas Doucet with his five awards for Astro Bot. Pic: PA

BAFTAs for audio achievement, game design, animation, and best family game completed the set for developers Team Asobi, who designed multiple galaxies and dozens of levels for the titular Astro to journey through, retrieving spaceship parts and rescuing lost robots.

“We’re a team based in Japan, but we have over 12 nationalities. We really mix it up and get ideas from everyone,” Nicolas Doucet, president of Team Asobi, told Sky News.

“We do a lot of jokes in the game, but the joke has a different meaning depending on where you are in the world. So it’s really, really nice to go around and ask everyone ‘is that joke fine in your country?’ And then together we come to a kind of universal playfulness.”

Pic: Innovative platform game Astro Bot swept the night, taking the prestigious best game award too. Pic: BAFTA
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Among the gongs for Astro Bot was the best game award. Pic: BAFTA

It’s a very different atmosphere than that generated by British psychological horror Still Wakes The Deep, which won three awards for best new intellectual property and best supporting and leading roles.

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Compared to John Carpenter’s 1980 sci-fi horror The Thing but on a Scottish oil rig, the game sees players take on the role of an electrician trapped on a damaged facility while being pursued by monsters.

Still Wakes The Deep.
Pic: Sumo Digital Limited
Image:
Still Wakes The Deep. Pic: Sumo Digital Limited

Developer The Chinese Room has been praised for using home-grown talent to voice the characters, including comedian and actress Karen Dunbar, who picked up best performer in a supporting role for voicing Finlay.

“I’ve been nominated for quite a few BAFTAs in my time in Scotland, and I’ve never won one,” said Dunbar.

“It was such a great category, so many great performances. When they shouted my name, I think I started clapping for someone else!”

Read more: See full list of winners

Still Wakes The Deep star Karen Dunbar won best performer in a supporting role. Pic: BAFTA
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Still Wakes The Deep star Karen Dunbar won best performer in a supporting role. Pic: BAFTA

Meanwhile, best multiplayer game went to Helldivers II – a satirical, sci-fi shooter that sees players fight bugs, aliens and robots with the gumption and gullibility of the characters in Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers.

It has gained a cult following since launching in February 2024 with so much initial interest it created server problems.

“Games for me are about connecting people and forging those bonds of friendship and the multiplayer award is exactly what it stands for,” said Johan Pilestedt, chief executive of Arrowhead Game Studios.

Helldivers II.
Pic:  Arrowhead/Sony
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Helldivers II. Pic: Arrowhead/Sony

From outer space to a fictional Yorkshire town called Barnsworth. Thank Goodness You’re Here! – a cartoonish, comedy platformer – won Best British Game. Like Still Wakes The Deep, it has won praise for the authenticity of its actors and setting.

I think it’s been a real privilege to be able to represent Barnsley on the silver screen,” said Will Todd, who is from the town and one of two game designers behind the project.

Thank Goodness You’re Here! 
Pic: Coal Supper/Panic Inc
https://thankgoodness.game/
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Thank Goodness You’re Here! Pic: Coal Supper/Panic Inc

Co-creator James Carbutt added: “Me and Will wrote everything in our tone of voice, quite literally. The further along development we got, the more we lent into it. I think the voices from different parts of the UK and different voices in gaming are super important, and hopefully we’re one of them.”

By the time the BAFTAs wrapped up, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was only handed one of the 11 BAFTAs it was nominated for, technical achievement.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II 
Pic: Ninja Theory
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Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. Pic: Ninja Theory

But developers Ninja Theory are already adding this year’s win to a tally of five BAFTAs they were awarded for the first game in the series, which created a protagonist with psychosis by drawing on clinical neuroscience and the experiences of people living with the condition.

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BAFTA Games Awards: Full list of winners

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BAFTA Games Awards: Full list of winners

The BAFTA Games Awards celebrate gaming excellence and creative achievement in the best games of the last year.

Hosted by comedian Phil Wang for the second year running, the biggest names in gaming gathered at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

With 41 games nominated across 17 categories, here are all the winners – in bold – from the night.

Animation
Astro Bot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
LEGO Horizon Adventures
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Artistic Achievement
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
Harold Halibut
Neva
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Still Wakes the Deep

Audio Achievement
ANIMAL WELL
Astro Bot
Helldivers 2
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Star Wars Outlaws
Still Wakes the Deep

Best Game
Astro Bot
Balatro
Black Myth: Wukong
Helldivers 2
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Thank Goodness You’re Here!

More on Bafta

British Game
A Highland Song
LEGO Horizon Adventures
Paper Trail
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Still Wakes the Deep
Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Debut Game
ANIMAL WELL
Balatro
Pacific Drive
The Plucky Squire
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Evolving Game
Diablo IV
FINAL FANTASY XIV ONLINE
No Man’s Sky
Sea of Thieves
Vampire Survivors
World of Warcraft

Family
Astro Bot
Cat Quest III
LEGO Horizon Adventures
Little Kitty, Big City
The Plucky Squire
Super Mario Party Jamboree

Game Beyond Entertainment
Botany Manor
Kind Words 2 (lofi city pop)
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Tetris Forever
Vampire Therapist

Game Design
ANIMAL WELL
Astro Bot
Balatro
Helldivers 2
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Tactical Breach Wizards

Multiplayer
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Helldivers 2
LEGO Horizon Adventures
Super Mario Party Jamboree
TEKKEN 8
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Music
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
Helldivers 2
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Star Wars Outlaws

Narrative
Black Myth: Wukong
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Still Wakes the Deep

New Intellectual Property
ANIMAL WELL
Balatro
Black Myth: Wukong
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Still Wakes the Deep
Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Technical Achievement
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Tiny Glade
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Performer in a Leading Role
Alec Newman as Cameron ‘Caz’ McLeary in Still Wakes the Deep
Humberly González as Kay Vess in Star Wars Outlaws
Isabella Inchbald as Indika in INDIKA
Luke Roberts as James Sunderland in SILENT HILL 2
Melina Juergens as Senua in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Y’lan Noel as Troy Marshall in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Performer in a Supporting Role
Abbi Greenland & Helen Goalen as The Furies in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Aldís Amah Hamilton as Ástríðr in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Jon Blyth as Big Ron in Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Karen Dunbar as Finlay in Still Wakes the Deep
Matt Berry as Herbert the Gardner in Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Michael Abubakar as Brodie in Still Wakes the Deep

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Burnham Square wins Blue Grass for Derby spot

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Burnham Square wins Blue Grass for Derby spot

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Burnham Square chased down East Avenue from the back of the pack and won by a nose in the storm-delayed $1.25 million Blue Grass at Keeneland on Tuesday, earning enough points to qualify for next month’s Kentucky Derby.

The 101st running of the Blue Grass was postponed from Saturday because of heavy rain and deadly flooding in Kentucky. The upcoming Lexington Stakes on Saturday is the final derby qualifying race.

Burnham Square, ridden by Brian Hernandez, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.33 and paid $10.48, $5.18 and $3.34 at 4-1 odds.

The Ian Wilkes-trained gelding also earned 100 points from the Grade I race and has 130 overall toward the 151st Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Sandman is one point behind, and Santa Anita Derby winner Journalism is third with 122.5.

“I’ll watch him. He’ll tell me what I need to do,” Wilkes said. “But we have to keep the foot on the gas — got to keep the foot down on the pedal — because we’ve got to get a little better again. It’s going to be very deep waters, and we’ve got to get a lot better.”

East Avenue returned $6.42 and $4.26 for second and earned 50 Derby points, while Todd Pletcher-trained favorite River Thames finished third, paying $3.24 and receiving 25 points.

Admiral Dennis (15 points) was fourth beneath substitute jockey Manny Franco, who took the mount after veteran Luiz Saez was injured from a fall in the second race. Saez was in stable condition at a hospital after Fateful Lightning on Keeneland’s turf course.

Burnham Square lagged far behind as East Avenue led seven horses entering the backstretch before steadily moving up and saving his best after rounding the final turn. He stalked East Avenue from the outside and the horses were even in the final yards before Burnham Square edged East Avenue at the line for his second stakes victory in three starts this year.

“When we turned for home my horse had a full head of steam, and I was pretty confident we were going to able to run (pacesetter East Avenue) down,” Hernandez said. “So right at the wire I had an idea that we got our neck in front of him.”

He won the Grade III Holy Bull at Gulfstream by 1 3/4 lengths in February before running fourth in the Grade II Fountain of Youth on March 25.

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