The Biden administration unveiled groundbreaking changes to how the federal government collects data on race and ethnicity, marking the first revisions in nearly 30 years. The move aims to create more accurate and inclusive demographic information to better inform policymaking and address health disparities.
Ninez Ponce, director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, hailed the changes as a “crucial step toward recognizing” America’s increasing diversity and “achieving health equity.” Ponce and her team provided recommendations to the White House, emphasizing the need for detailed data on racial and ethnic subgroups.
The revisions come after concerns raised by advocacy groups like the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) about the proposed standards failing to capture the complexities of Black Latino communities. BAJI cited a UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute report highlighting socioeconomic inequalities faced by this population despite higher education levels.
Nancy López, a University of New Mexico sociology professor and co-author of the report, frequently discussed its findings in media appearances criticizing the initial proposals. The updated standards reflect efforts to address such concerns and improve representation.
By enabling access to granular data across diverse communities, the new federal guidelines are expected to aid in identifying and combating “hidden” public health threats disproportionately impacting underrepresented groups.
