Reporting of Race and Ethnicity in the Context of Systemic Inequities

A broader discussion of the terminology used in research and science to reference diversity within the population is needed to accurately reflect the impact of societal status and structures on health. One such article that orthogonally contributes to this discussion is that of Lee et al. When we name and isolate race alone, without the context of the historical biases, discrimination, racism, and exclusion that have led to social, economic, and health inequities that are often used to define, describe, and further marginalize individuals of racially and ethnically minoritized groups, we ignore the dimensionality of race and culture and falsely lend scientific credence to a societal construct. Indeed, there is no genetic basis for race. As humans, we share more than 99% of our genes, with greater genetic variation within races than between them. As such we incorporate the role of disenfranchisement in social status. As social justice movements take root in science and the importance of health equity research is increasingly acknowledged, there is broader recognition that