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In the US, black newborn babies appear to be three times more likely to die in hospital than white newborns. A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences looked at the doctors in charge of newborns’ care. From census data for the twenty three years running up to 2015 they found that if a black doctor cares for a black baby the risk of death was halved.

Authors of the paper Rachel Hardeman, Blue Cross Endowed Professor in Health and Racial Equity at the University of Minnesota and Brad Greenwood, Associate Professor at George Mason University’s School of Business, discuss what might be happening.

(Image: A doctor holding a newborn baby, Photo: Terry Vine/Getty Images.)