Disaggregation of Race and Ethnicity Group Data

Abstract

This Viewpoint discusses the importance of accurately categorizing and collecting race and ethnicity data, matching self-identity with race and ethnicity labels, in an effort to quantify the extent of health disparities.

Asia-Pacific Investigators and Asian Enrollment in Cardiometabolic Trials

“…With evidence that cardiovascular risk is not experienced consistently across Asian race and ancestry, 16 , 24 , 25 , 26 sensitive and inclusive reporting may permit disaggregated analysis to better understand these differences and tailor management appropriately. 27 However, the degree to which the complex and dynamic construct of race and ethnicity can be practically disentangled from inextricable environmental, socioeconomic, genetic, and biological forces remains to be seen. 28 …”

Cervical cancer screening among English- and Spanish-speaking Hispanic women in an urban safety net health system, 2015–2020

“…Given that healthcare programs are different across countries, our results may not be completely generalizable in non-U.S. healthcare settings. However, while every country’s healthcare system is different, we believe our study identifies potential opportunities to decrease disparities in the Spanish-speaking Hispanic population regardless of country as well as underscores the need to assess populations on a disaggregate level, as aggregate data often mask disparities [ 20 ]. Further, our study highlights considerations for immigrant health care in general, not limited to the Hispanic population, as health inequity, specifically related to cervical cancer screening, has been observed internationally in non-Hispanic migrant women [ 21 , 22 ].…”

Making Communities More Visible: Equity‐Centered Data to Achieve Health Equity

“…In the United States, individuals are racialized (assigned a race or ethnicity) under the current OMB construct of ethnicity as “Hispanic or Latino or Not Hispanic or Latino” and race as “American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and White.” All groups except those racialized as non‐Hispanic White are minoritized. We acknowledge that the current OMB minimum guidance on collection of race and ethnicity categories hides identities within the non‐Hispanic White categories, such as peoples from Middle East and North Africa, who are also minoritized 11–13 . In this manuscript, to acknowledge the social construction of both race and ethnicity, we use the term “racialized” when referring to racial and ethnic categorization.…”

“…We acknowledge that the current OMB minimum guidance on collection of race and ethnicity categories hides identities within the non‐Hispanic White categories, such as peoples from Middle East and North Africa, who are also minoritized. 11 , 12 , 13 In this manuscript, to acknowledge the social construction of both race and ethnicity, we use the term “racialized” when referring to racial and ethnic categorization. Racialization is a historic process of assigning individuals to social groups (i.e., races) based on phenotypical characteristics, and discrimination is the process of differentially providing access to those social groups.…”