Compared to White Americans, Black Americans have been historically underrepresented in genetic research, resulting in unequal access to the benefits of genetic medicine. A new study led by researchers at Washington State University has found that Black Americans’ mistrust of medical providers could be contributing to this racial disparity in research participation.
For their study, the authors surveyed a sample of 500 Black Americans and 518 White Americans regarding their trust and bias toward various sources on genetic research, including medical providers, genetic counselors, and social media. Across both groups, medical providers were perceived as the most trustworthy source, while social media was the least trustworthy. However, Black Americans reported significantly lower trust in the information provided by medical providers and scientific literature. They also expressed a stronger preference for receiving medical information from individuals of the same racial background.
Based on these findings, the authors call for scientists and medical providers to collaborate on tailored communications that are transparent and culturally relevant. As medical providers are the most trusted source among Black Americans, improving communication and increasing diversity among medical professionals should be the primary focus for advancing Black representation in genetic research.
In addition to scholars from Washington State University, the study included authors from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
