Improving Black Health Outcomes
Clinical research studies make it possible to diagnose diseases earlier and make it easier to develop treatment plans. People from Black ethnic backgrounds only make up around 2% of participants in genetic association studies. This has resulted in health outcomes being far more accurate for people of European ancestry than for people of African descent.
We want to build the relationship and trust between the NHS and Black UK communities to target racial inequalities and improve health and care for those communities. Our aim is to recruit at least 500 people from local Black communities to the IBHO cohort. We have worked with people with lived experience of these problems and community groups to design how recruitment might work. Our research targets will revolve around health questions that are important to UK Black communities, including
- sickle cell anaemia
- diabetes
- cardiovascular disease
- kidney disease
- maternal health
- mental health
This will be done by collecting questionnaire and genetic data, then linking this information to the appropriate area for research. Volunteers will join the NIHR BioResource and be given the option to join Genomics England’s National Genomic Research Library.
If you would like to get involved or would like further information, please contact the team via IHBO@uhbw.nhs.uk or phone 0117 342 1500. Alternatively, please visit the NIHR BioResource website or scan the QR code below.
