A Look at Diabetes in Communities of Color

This article has been reprinted with permission from Science 37. The original article can be viewed here.

April is National Minority Health Month. To help raise awareness of the need for the diversity in healthcare and research, Science 37 is spotlighting some of the health challenges facing communities of color.

A little while ago, we highlighted why diversity is important in clinical research. Simply put, those who are underrepresented in clinical trials are at a significant health disadvantage. Why? Because no one really knows if the treatments getting tested and approved are equally as effective for communities who haven’t had access to them.

Diabetes in People of Color

For a condition like diabetes, whose prevalence and costs are on the upswing, it’s critical to ensure that different ethnic groups are represented in the research. Consider one of the examples we cited: Diabetes is twice as prevalent in Mexican-American and Puerto Rican communities compared to whites, yet those groups only represent 4 percent of diabetes trial participants. In previous diabetes clinical trials with such low participation from diverse groups, how do we know that the drug – even once approved – works for everyone? Take a look at how diabetes affects communities of color in the infographic below.

A Voice in the Fight against Diabetes

People of color are at particular risk for diabetes – if the infographic above didn’t make the case, just take a look at some of the personal stories of those affected to see how diabetes can affect an entire family. If we want to eliminate health disadvantages, these people must have a voice in the fight.

Diabetes has many faces, and this is why some diabetes clinical trials specifically look at diverse populations. At Science 37, we realize that we can play an important role in, as our CEO Noah Craft likes to say, “democratizing science.” Actively seeking to include diverse populations in diabetes research is an important step, because these communities are critical to changing what having diabetes means both now and in the future.

Move Science Forward for Diabetes

At Science 37, our goal is to connect potential participants to clinical research to help accelerate the process of treatment discovery. If you or a loved one has been affected by Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, take a look at our open research studies to see whether there might be a fit.