Study Suggests Flaw In Methods Used To Measure Racial Health Disparities
Politico Pro: Study Challenges Data For Multiracial PatientsJust weeks after HHS released the first national strategy to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities, a new study published in the journal Demography suggests there is a flaw in the method used to measure racial health differences: it does not adequately account for people of mixed race. The Affordable Care Act imposed new reporting requirements to track health disparities. But one of the major national health surveys currently conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics asks multiracial individuals to select which race "best describes" their background, and public health analysts often lump them in with single-race groups based on this "best race" designation (Feder, 4/22). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
