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. 2022 Mar-Apr;20(2):157-163.
doi: 10.1370/afm.2792. Epub 2022 Jan 19.

Conceptualizing, Contextualizing, and Operationalizing Race in Quantitative Health Sciences Research

Elle Lett  1   2   3   4 , Emmanuella Asabor  5   6   7 , Sourik Beltrán  8 , Ashley Michelle Cannon  9 , Onyebuchi A Arah  10   11   12
Affiliations

Conceptualizing, Contextualizing, and Operationalizing Race in Quantitative Health Sciences Research

Elle Lett et al. Ann Fam Med. 2022 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: community/public health; disparity; epidemiology; inequity; intersectionality; race; racism.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Elements of systemic racism. a Parenthesis indicate examples; lists not exhaustive.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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