INTRODUCTION

The epidemiologic literature has consistently shown that black women and men have a higher bone mineral density (BMD) and a lower incidence of osteoporotic fracture compared to age- and sex-matched whites. The lower rate of fractures among blacks has been attributed to their higher BMD levels, but other factors could contribute. Furthermore, the relationship between BMD and fractures may not be the same for different racial groups. Older Gambian women experience a low rate of osteoporotic fracture despite low bone mineral content. Regardless of the exact magnitude of the association between BMD and osteoporotic fracture, it is well-established from studies, such as NHANES III, that BMD is higher in African Americans than Caucasian Americans and that the rates of osteoporosis and osteopenia are lower.

…..Click here to read more

Kawasaki disease is an acute febrile illness, also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome. It predominantly affects children between the ages of six months and two years, and usually less than five years of age. Asian children are at higher risk due to genetic predisposition. The male-female ratio is 1.5:1. Males are more frequently affected and are also at a greater risk of developing coronary artery aneurysms.

…..Click here to read more

The current treatment for Kawasaki disease includes IVIG and aspirin. Adults who are treated with IVIG have demonstrated similar responses and recovery times as children. High-dose IVIG has proven to reduce the morbidity and mortality that is associated with Kawasaki disease. As mentioned by Saulsbury, when IVIG is given within the first 10 days of the illness, the risk of coronary artery aneurysms is reduced from 20% in untreated patients to 4%. IVIG also aids in the resolution of established coronary artery aneurysms. The most effective dose of IVIG is a single infusion of 2 g/kg given over 10 hours.

…..Click here to read more

Laboratory Evaluation

During the first admission, the potassium hydroxide and saline wet-mount slides, and the gonorrhea and chlamydia cultures were all negative. A review of her prenatal records revealed a negative prenatal work-up, including a negative HIV test.

…..Click here to read more

Initial Presentation and History

A 21-year-old gravida 3 para 1111 African-American female returned to a community hospital emergency department one week postdischarge after having been hospitalized for five days with the working diagnosis of toxic shock syndrome, but she never fulfilled the criteria of multisystem involvement. At the time of initial presentation, she was four weeks postpartum, having experienced a normal vaginal delivery without complications. She presented with complaints of a one-week history of nausea, persistent fever, and a generalized painfiil, pruritic rash. Subsequently, the rash spread to her neck, arms, hands, abdomen, back, buttocks, and thighs.

…..Click here to read more

SECTION THREE: MODES OF IMPLEMENTATION

This essay has examined diversity rights claims within the medical profession systemically—especially in its manner of training and admitting new practitioners to orthopedic surgery. If the above argument is correct, increasing diversity among African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and women in orthopedic surgery is necessary for moral and prudential reasons. In order to effect this vision, the following are a few first-steps that may bring us closer to this goal.
…..Click here to read more

SECTION TWO: THE PRUDENTIAL ARGUMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL DIVERSITY

At this point, our argument takes a rather different direction. We contend that (ethics aside) a profession that is more diverse in its membership will be more excellent in the execution of its functional tasks than one that is not diverse. For purposes of clarification, we will term functional excellence, the prudential argument. Our prudential argument has two parts: a) the matching argument, and b) the social evolution argument. These will be addressed in order.

…..Click here to read more