Health inequities in the rheumatic diseases of childhood.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To describe differences in disease manifestations and outcomes in pediatric rheumatic diseases as they occur in non-European-descended populations in North America.

RECENT FINDINGS

Differences in disease prevalence, clinical phenotypes, disease course, and outcomes have been described across the spectrum of pediatric-onset rheumatic diseases. Although these differences are commonly explained by differences in genetic risk or access to tertiary healthcare facilities, our emerging understanding of the immunobiology of historical/ongoing trauma suggest a more complex explanation for these observed differences.

SUMMARY

Health inequities as observed in pediatric rheumatic diseases are likely to emerge from a complex interplay between social and biological factors. The important contribution of historical and repetitive trauma deserves further exploration.