2014 Health Equity Research Snapshot
As part of their commitment to improving the health of patients and populations, academic medical centers conduct health equity research to identify solutions to systematic and avoidable inequities in health and health care.
This snapshot highlights seven new research projects underway at AAMC-member institutions. We solicited these videos from researchers and their teams to represent the rich variety of populations and health outcomes that health equity researchers investigate.
Community-based Translation Research
Sharing genetic information with African American patients to prevent kidney disease.
Sharing genetic information with patients and their providers may allow African Americans with a particular gene variant to better focus on the management of their high blood pressure to avoid related kidney disease.
Basic Discovery
Understanding African American kidney disease disparities at the molecular level.
Building on evidence that gene variation largely explains certain racial disparities in kidney disease, researchers aim to learn how the disease progresses at the molecular and c
Population Health Research
Culturally tailored smoking cessation for American Indian college students.
Researchers are promoting smoking cessation among American Indian college students while respecting cultural traditions around tobacco use.
Epidemiology
Identifying risk factors that contribute to substance use disparities among LGBT youth.
To reduce the disproportionate burden of substance disorders in sexual minority adolescents, researchers aim to identify at-risk subpopulations and barriers to treatment.
Comparative Effectiveness Research
Promoting physical activity with virtual health advisors among Latino populations.
The use of virtual health advisors may be an effective and cost-efficient way to increase levels of physical activity and promote healthy living among Latino adults.
Genetic Research
Investigating viral and genetic contributors to Asian American liver cancer disparities.
Differences in viral sequences and immune responses may hold the key to understanding and intervening on disparities in hepatitis B-related liver cancer between Asian-American populations.
Health Care Research
Increasing health care access for vulnerable populations through patient portals.
An interdisciplinary research team seeks to identify how to make patient portals more accessible to populations who could benefit most from increased access to health care services.
