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Jeremy Cherfas

Race and Biology | BioScience | Oxford Academic

Researchers from many disciplines argue that science would get far more bang for its research buck by looking to solve broader societal contributors to disparities. Housing conditions, segregated neighborhoods, poverty, education, the burden of racism, environmental pollutants, and other factors are likely the main contributors to higher rates of disease and disability in marginalized groups. “We support wholeheartedly the study of health disparities from a wide range of disciplines,” says Michael Yudell, professor of community health and prevention at Drexel University. “Our issue is that race is a poor proxy to understand the biological factors underpinning health disparities.”