Experts say that big differences in health still exist between racial and ethnic groups in the United States. This is partly because we don’t have enough information about the health of minority groups.For example, a study looked at 20 years of clinical trials and found that race was only recorded for 43% of patients. This means that minority groups may not be included enough in medical research.
Even when race and ethnicity data are collected, it’s not always done in the same way. This can lead to confusing or incorrect health advice that might make disparities worse.
The government is working on ways to improve how we collect data related to health equity. But experts say more needs to be done, like:
- Training healthcare workers to collect data better
- Using technology that makes it easier to share and study data
By filling in the gaps in our health data, experts believe we can better understand and address the health needs of all communities. This could help us build a fairer and more effective healthcare system for everyone.
See: “Bridging the Data Divide: Investing in People and Tech to Improve Health Equity” by John Auerbach on the MedCity News website (February 13, 2024)
