Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of Mayo Clinic Caitlin Doran et al.
Points
- Researchers from the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota have developed a framework that shifts the focus from race to chronic exposure to racism as a determinant of heart health disparities among people of color in Minnesota.
- The framework utilized by the Center for Chronic Disease Reduction and Equity Promotion Across Minnesota (C2DREAM) examines how systems of power, structural and institutional racism, and interpersonal racism collectively influence health outcomes through social determinants of health.
- This new approach provides researchers with a structured way to measure the impact of racism at multiple levels and design interventions aimed at addressing the root causes of cardiovascular health disparities.
- The C2DREAM framework is guiding ongoing research, including standardized data collection on inequities such as housing segregation and income disparities, enhancing the ability to understand and tackle the mechanisms through which racism affects heart health.
- The framework is considered a starting point for further research that will refine measures of racism and expand to include other forms, such as cultural and internalized racism. C2DREAM collaborates with various institutions and community stakeholders across Minnesota to deepen the impact and reach of their findings.
Summary
Researchers from the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota have developed a groundbreaking framework to understand how racism impacts heart health among people of color in Minnesota, as published in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science. Led by Sean Phelan, Ph.D., a senior researcher at Mayo Clinic, this framework aims to shift the focus from race to chronic exposure to racism as a determinant of health outcomes. The research is conducted under the auspices of the Center for Chronic Disease Reduction and Equity Promotion Across Minnesota (C2DREAM), which collaborates with local community leaders and health organizations to tackle cardiovascular health disparities.
The innovative C2DREAM framework expands the traditional scope of research on racism and health, which has often been limited to interpersonal racism. It examines the confluence of oppressive power systems and structural and institutional racism alongside interpersonal dynamics. These elements collectively influence social determinants of health—conditions defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the environments in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. Kene Orakwue, the first author and a predoctoral student, emphasizes the necessity of critically examining social structures and policies to reduce health inequities effectively.
C2DREAM not only highlights the interplay between various forms of racism and heart health but also provides researchers with a structured roadmap to measure and mitigate racism’s impact. This framework allows for the evaluation of interventions across different levels of racism, from structural barriers like access to culturally appropriate food to interpersonal interactions between healthcare providers and patients. By standardizing measures of inequity, such as housing segregation and income disparities, C2DREAM facilitates a comprehensive approach to understanding and disrupting the pathways through which racism exacerbates heart health issues across Minnesota.
Link to the article: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-07-reversing-racism-toll-heart-health.html
References Doran, C. & Mayo Clinic News Network. (2024, July 5). Reversing racism’s toll on heart health. Medical Xpress; Mayo Clinic. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-07-reversing-racism-toll-heart-health.html
