Health Equity & Access Weekly Roundup: June 30, 2025

The High Cost of Healthy: How Grocery Prices Shape American Diets and Health

Rising grocery prices, especially for healthy foods, are driving many Americans toward cheaper, ultraprocessed alternatives, worsening health disparities and diet-related chronic conditions. Pew Research Center data show nearly 70% of adults say food costs are impacting their diets, with lower-income groups and minority communities disproportionately affected. As fruits and vegetables remain significantly overpriced, many households face barriers to healthy eating, including lack of access, time, and knowledge. Increased reliance on ultraprocessed foods is linked to obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other health risks, with evidence showing disproportionate impacts on Black adults and individuals with lower incomes. Experts stress that addressing this crisis requires policy reforms to expand access to affordable, nutritious food, such as updating SNAP benefits, improving food availability in underserved areas, and integrating food insecurity screening in health care, underscoring the need for systemic, population-level solutions beyond personal choice.

Patients With Obesity Face Higher Financial Burden, Food Insecurity

Adults with obesity in the US face nearly double the financial hardship of those classified as normal weight, with higher rates of medical debt, food insecurity, and cost-related medication nonadherence, according to a new study. Using data from between 2019 and 2023 on over 143,000 adults, researchers found that even after adjusting for income and insurance status, obesity remained linked to greater economic strain, including a 4-percentage-point increase in difficulty paying medical bills and a higher likelihood of skipping medications due to costs. The findings indicate that limited insurance coverage and high out-of-pocket expenses, particularly for antiobesity medications like semaglutide, continue to drive treatment gaps, despite evidence showing these drugs can reduce broader health care costs. Researchers emphasized that affordability remains a significant barrier to effective obesity care, contributing to both health and economic disparities for affected individuals.

Protecting Progress in LGBTQ+ Health Care 10 Years After Obergefell

Last week marked the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v Hodges decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, a milestone that fueled significant advances in LGBTQ+ rights, health care access, and inclusion. Over the past decade, progress included expanded gender-affirming care, improved insurance coverage, updated clinical guidelines, and advancements in HIV prevention, such as long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis. However, recent political shifts, including the return of the Trump administration and the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr as HHS secretary, have raised alarm among advocates as executive actions target diversity/equity/inclusion initiatives, dismantle health equity programs, and threaten the protections established by Obergefell. With LGBTQ+ health programs facing funding cuts, regulatory rollbacks, and increasing political hostility, advocates like Jim Obergefell warn that marriage equality and broader civil rights are once again at risk.

Highlighting Disparities in Myeloma Outcomes, the Impacts of Comorbidities

Despite major advances in multiple myeloma treatment over the past 2 decades, new research presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting reveals persistent disparities in patient outcomes driven by socioeconomic status, geography, and comorbidities. An analysis of national cancer data found that individuals with lower household incomes or living in rural areas continue to experience significantly higher myeloma mortality rates, largely due to limited access to specialized care, clinical trials, and advanced treatments. Separately, a chart review showed that patients with chronic kidney disease face worse outcomes, including higher rates of advanced disease at diagnosis and increased mortality, underscoring how comorbidities further complicate care. Together, these findings demonstrate that barriers beyond disease biology, such as income, location, and coexisting health conditions, play a critical role in shaping myeloma outcomes and signal an urgent need for targeted efforts to improve equity in care.

Patient Materials for Rheumatoid Arthritis Often Miss Crucial Information

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis often receive inconsistent, incomplete, or unclear information about health outcomes, potentially undermining their ability to make informed treatment decisions, according to new findings. Researchers found that key outcomes such as pain, joint damage, physical function, and remission are inconsistently described or omitted altogether in patient-facing materials like decision aids and preference studies, despite being central to patient priorities. The study highlights a need for standardized health outcome descriptors, a structured framework that organizes outcome information into clear domains—symptoms, testing and treatment, time horizon, and consequences—to improve communication, shared decision-making, and patient understanding in rheumatoid arthritis care.