Emory program addresses health disparities

COVID-19 has hit some communities very hard.

That has put new attention on a long-term problem in the United States— health disparities. 

Health disparities are differences in health that harm disadvantaged communities. Understanding what causes these differences is key to addressing them. DNA alone does not explain the big differences in people’s health. Researchers are looking closely at other variables, including social determinants of health such as income and environment; access to health care, healthy foods, and educational opportunities; and discrimination.

When researchers look for answers on how social factors affect health, the data is often missing, incomplete, or does not include enough people or diversity to be able to draw relevant conclusions. In other cases, information about social factors may be available, but it is kept separate from health data. All this can keep researchers from seeing the big picture.

A National Institutes of Health program with a presence at Emory, the All of Us Research Program, is working to sign up one million participants. The goal is to build one of the largest, most diverse research databases to create a detailed picture of health to help speed biomedical research breakthroughs.

The program brings together information about people’s biology, environment, and life circumstances. This blend of data, contributed by All of Us participants, can help researchers learn more about why people develop certain conditions, the effect of different treatments, and how social factors affect health.

Martin Mendoza, the program’s director of health equity, explains that many factors can affect our health, but without data that is both inclusive and diverse, it can be nearly impossible to see patterns and common threads.

“When researchers can access the data they need, it’s like finding a treasure trove of keys,” says Mendoza. “The data can help lead researchers to unlock new ways to improve people’s health.”

All of Us is working to tackle one of the biggest obstacles in eliminating health disparities: many minority and underserved communities have been left out of research, leaving a gap in understanding of what makes people—and their health needs—unique.

“As a breast cancer survivor and Black woman, it’s not okay that people like me are more likely to die from our disease than others,” says Joyce Brown, an All of Us participant ambassador. “We’ve been invisible to researchers for too long. This program has given me the chance to potentially improve the health of future generations, but that can only happen if we all come to the table.”

Participants like Brown are having an impact. So far, more than 435,000 adults have joined the program, more than 300,000 of whom have completed all the initial steps, including answering surveys, allowing access to electronic health records, and sharing biosamples. About 80% come from communities that have been historically underrepresented in biomedical research.

“COVID-19 brings renewed urgency, but the need to solve the underlying causes of health disparities that exist in cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and most other disease areas isn’t new,” says Mendoza. “Those who choose to join us in this historic effort and participate in the All of Us Research Program are essential partners in opening the door to a better future, in their own health, and the health
of their families, friends, and community.”  

Anyone interested in learning about the All of Us Research Program at Emory University can visit allofus.emory.edu or call 404-778-1284 for more information.

 

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