The American Heart Association recently awarded grants for scientific research aimed at evaluating the use of race in predicting heart disease risk. The grants were offered as part of a two-year scientific research strategy funded by the Doris Duke Foundation. This endeavor seeks to examine how race and ethnicity factor into clinical care algorithms and risk prediction tools and aims to develop tools free of bias. The focus of the research is driven by the recognition that race-corrected algorithms in clinical care can negatively impact patient outcomes. The newly funded principal investigators join six previous awardees, collectively contributing to a hopeful shift in the way race is used in risk calculators and clinical algorithms.
Clinical algorithms, which are used to analyze health data and determine a person’s risk for disease, incorporate various measures, including age, weight, information from blood or imaging tests, personal health history, and health habits such as physical activity and smoking. Some algorithms also include race or ethnicity in their analysis to account for disproportionate disease rates among certain racial or ethnic groups. However, as highlighted by the AHA’s recent initiative, there is growing scientific interest in reconsidering the use of race in risk calculators due to concerns about bias and its implications for patient care.
These issues are especially pertinent in the context of health disparities and the need for equitable healthcare provision. The grants, each totaling $50,000, support the scientific community in addressing these important considerations and paving the way for the development of more inclusive and accurate tools for predicting heart disease risk. This critical research aims to shift the paradigm in how risk calculators and clinical algorithms are formulated, ensuring that they account for the diverse characteristics and health profiles of individuals without perpetuating biases that can result in differential care based on race.
The potential impact of this research is profound, as it holds the promise of advancing healthcare equity and ensuring that clinical algorithms and risk prediction tools align with the goal of providing unbiased, patient-centered care. As the American Heart Association celebrates 100 years of service, these grants represent a significant step forward in promoting healthier lives for all, regardless of race or ethnicity, by fostering a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding the use of race in predicting heart disease risk.
