Category: disparities

“Precision” Health Tools and… Increased Health Disparities?

a doctor talking to his patient under a magnifying glass over a crowd of people

Working from the perspective of public health, we have frequently expressed concerns about the potential of precision health technology to exacerbate health disparities. Many of these discussions have focused on genomic-based approaches such as using polygenic risk scores (PRS) for a wide array of disease and health outcomes. Because of minority underrepresentation in basic research, Read More >

Posted on by Scott Bowen, Muin J Khoury, Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health; Ramal Moonesinghe, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and George A Mensah, Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Categories genomics
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The use of polygenic risk scores in clinical practice can exacerbate health disparities in ethnic and minority populations

This blog is a summary of our recent commentary on polygenic risk scores (PRS). PRS provide a rapidly emerging example of precision medicine and are based on multiple gene variants that each have weak associations with disease risks, but collectively may enhance disease predictive value in the population. The added value of PRS is unclear Read More >

Posted on by Megan C Roberts, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy; Muin J Khoury, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; George A Mensah, Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute1 Comment
Categories genomics
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Why We Can’t Wait: A Public Health Approach to Health Disparities in Genomic Medicine

six circles surrounding a circle including this text: Ensuring Effective and Responsible Use of Genomic Medicine to Improve Population Health. Circle 1 text: Community. Circle 2 text: Health Care Delivery System. Circle 3 text: Employers and Business. Circle 4 text: The Media. Circle 5 text: Academia. Circle 6 text: Governmental Public Health Infrastucture

In May 2013, I attended and presented at the “Why We Can’t Wait Conference to Eliminate Health Disparities in Genomic Medicine.”  The conference was organized by the University of Miami and Stanford University, with attendees and speakers from academia, consumer organizations, government agencies, public health, clinical practice, and the private sector. A key rationale for Read More >

Posted on by Muin J Khoury, Director, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Categories genomics, public health
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