2026/03/12 by Cary Wu, Avery Yurchi, Chloe Sher +1 · 1 voice
Social Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Cultural Competency in Health Care #Race, Genetics, and Society #Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
paper · doi:10.1080/01419870.2026.2628891
openalex publication_date 2026/03/12 · openalex created_date 2026/03/13 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/15
Race and ethnicity are commonly examined variables in health research. However, racial and ethnic disparities in health and the systemic mechanisms that generate them remain insufficiently understood. As a result, efforts to reduce these inequalities remain fragmented, and progress toward health equity has been limited. In this article, we discuss four problems that continue to constrain research on and efforts to address racial and ethnic health inequalities: (1) conceptual ambiguity, or inconsistent use of racial and ethnic categories; (2) binary and White-referent logic, which normalizes whiteness and western perspectives; (3) majority-centred health outcomes, which privilege dominant perspectives of health, and (4) Black-box mechanisms, where differences are described but not well explained. We use articles in Ethnic and Racial Studies to illustrate how these problems manifest in published research. Finally, we outline pathways to advance research on race and ethnicity and their relationships to health and broader social outcomes.