A new nine-part focus seminar series, publishing today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, looks at how race and ethnicity impact multiple facets of cardiovascular care, including hypertension management, diabetes and obesity, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, quality of care and more.
"This JACC Focus Seminar provides narrative assessments of where we are today in nine cardiovascular conditions and shares insights on how we chart the path forward for addressing related health disparities," said JACC Editor-in-Chief Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC, in an accompanying introduction article. "A common theme throughout this seminar series is the importance of social determinants of health as a root cause of the observed racial and ethnic disparities. Taking action to pave the way for health equity in cardiology is important."
Throughout the series, the researchers note that implementation of proven strategies such as team-based care and an active fostering of positive partnerships between clinicians and patients are essential for underserved racial and ethnic minority groups. Other themes highlighted throughout the series include access to adequate and timely diagnoses and treatments, increasing diversity in clinical trials, access to proper health insurance coverage and the need for social justice approaches to health care.
