RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Conceptualizing, Contextualizing, and Operationalizing Race in Quantitative Health Sciences Research
JF The Annals of Family Medicine
JO Ann Fam Med
FD American Academy of Family Physicians
SP 157
OP 163
DO 10.1370/afm.2792
VO 20
IS 2
A1 Lett, Elle
A1 Asabor, Emmanuella
A1 Beltrán, Sourik
A1 Cannon, Ashley Michelle
A1 Arah, Onyebuchi A.
YR 2022
UL http://www.annfammed.org/content/20/2/157.abstract
AB Differences in health outcomes across racial groups are among the most commonly reported findings in health disparities research. Often, these studies do not explicitly connect observed disparities to mechanisms of systemic racism that drive adverse health outcomes among racialized and other marginalized groups in the United States. Without this connection, investigators inadvertently support harmful narratives of biologic essentialism or cultural inferiority that pathologize racial identities and inhibit health equity. This paper outlines pitfalls in the conceptualization, contextualization, and operationalization of race in quantitative population health research and provides recommendations on how to appropriately engage in scientific inquiry aimed at understanding racial health inequities. Race should not be used as a measure of biologic difference, but rather as a proxy for exposure to systemic racism. Future studies should go beyond this proxy use and directly measure racism and its health impacts.VISUAL ABSTRACTAppeared as Annals “Online First” article.