Racial Categories in Medical Practice: A Failure of Evidence-Based Practice
Author Information
Author(s): George T. H. Ellison, Andrew Smart, Richard Tutton, Simon M. Outram, Richard Ashcroft
Primary Institution: St George's, University of London
Hypothesis
Are racial and ethnic categories useful in medical practice?
Conclusion
Racial and ethnic categories are imprecise markers for health disparities and can lead to misattribution of health care needs.
Supporting Evidence
- Racial and ethnic categories are often poorly defined and lack consensus.
- Using these categories can lead to misattribution of health care needs.
- Policies promoting equitable participation in research may inadvertently reinforce crude categorizations.
Takeaway
Using race to decide how to treat patients can be confusing and not very helpful because people are very different, even within the same race.
Potential Biases
There is a risk of reinforcing stereotypes and misidentifying causal mechanisms in health care.
Limitations
The study highlights the lack of consensus on defining race and ethnicity and the challenges in standardizing these categories.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website