Studies from Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine Yield New Data on Genomics and Genetics (Black Patients Matter In Neurology Race, Racism, and Race-based Neurodisparities): Genomics and Genetics

2022 AUG 19 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Current study results on Genomics and Genetics have been published. According to news reporting out of Hanover, New Hampshire, by NewsRx editors, research stated, “Black people living in the United States suffer disproportionate morbidity and mortality across a wide range of neurologic conditions. Despite common conceptions to the contrary, ‘race’ is a socially defined construct with little genetic validity.”

Financial support for this research came from Dartmouth Swigart Clinical Ethics Fellowship.

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, “Therefore, racial health inequities in neurology (‘neurodisparities’) are not a consequence of biologic differences between races. Instead, racism and associated social determinants of health are the root of neurodisparities. To date, many neurologists have neglected racism as a root cause of neurologic disease, further perpetuating the problem. Structural racism, largely ignored in current neurologic practice and policy, drives neurodisparities through mediators such as excessive poverty, inferior health insurance, and poorer access to neurologic and preventative care. Interpersonal racism (implicit or explicit) and associated discriminatory practices in neurologic research, workforce advancement, and medical education also exacerbate neurodisparities. Neurologists cannot fulfill their professional and ethical responsibility to care for Black patients without understanding how racism, not biologic race, drives neurodisparities. In our review of race, racism, and race-based disparities in neurology, we highlight the current literature on neurodisparities across a wide range of neurologic conditions and focus on racism as the root cause. We discuss why all neurologists are ethically and professionally obligated to actively promote measures to counteract racism.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “We conclude with a call for actions that should be implemented by individual neurologists and professional neurologic organizations to mitigate racism and work towards health equity in neurology.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Black Patients Matter In Neurology Race, Racism, and Race-based Neurodisparities. Neurology, 2022;99(3):106-114. Neurology can be contacted at: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Two Commerce Sq, 2001 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA. (Lippincott Williams and Wilkins - www.lww.com; Neurology - neurology.org)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Nathaniel M. Robbins, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Dept. of Neurology, Hanover, NH 03755, United States. Additional authors for this research include James L. Bernat, Larry Charleston, Altaf Saadi, Zaneta Thayer, Wilfred U. Codrington, Alden Landry and Roy Hamilton.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000200830. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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