American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 154, No. 4 : 299-304
Copyright © 2001 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health
COMMENTARIES |
Invited Commentary: "Race," Racism, and the Practice of Epidemiology
1 From the Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
Imagine that you are an epidemiologist investigating the health status of the city Metropolis. You document that the east side of the city has twice the prevalence of disease X as the west side of the city. You become interested in the determinants of disease X. How will you proceed?
- Vigorously explore the basis of the east-west difference in the prevalence of disease X, using all currently available data and collecting new data as necessary.
- Focus on understanding other determinants of disease X in Metropolis, adjusting for the side of the city from which subjects come or restricting analyses to just one side of the city.
Most readers would agree that option 1 is the preferable response to the findings in Metropolis. That is because option 1 treats the large east-west difference as an important clue to understanding the etiology of disease X, and it attempts to vigorously explore the
WHAT DO WE MEASURE WHEN WE MEASURE RACE?
ACKNOWLEDGING AND MEASURING RACISM
LEVELS OF RACISM
THE PRACTICE OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
DESIGN AND ANALYTICAL STRATEGIES
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE
NOTES
REFERENCES
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