Open AccessFamily Physicians’ Beliefs about Genetic Contributions to Racial/Ethnic and Gender Differences in Health and Clinical Decision-Making
Author(s) -
Esther Warshauer-Baker,
Vence L. Bonham,
Jean Jenkins,
Nancy G. Stevens,
Zintesia Page,
Adebola O. Odunlami,
Colleen M. McBride
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
public health genomics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.701
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1662-8063
pISSN - 1662-4246
DOI - 10.1159/000133307
Subject(s) - ethnic group , race and health , race (biology) , health equity , medicine , psychology , gerontology , public health , nursing , sociology , gender studies , anthropology
Greater attention towards genetics as a contributor to group health differences may lead to inappropriate use of race/ethnicity and gender as genetic heuristics and exacerbate health disparities. As part of a web-based survey, 1,035 family physicians (FPs) rated the contribution of genetics and environment to racial/ethnic and gender differences in health outcomes, and the importance of race/ethnicity and gender in their clinical decision-making. FPs attributed racial/ethnic and gender differences in health outcomes equally to environment and genetics. These beliefs were not associated with rated importance of race/ethnicity or gender in clinical decision-making. FPs appreciate the complexity of genetic and environmental influences on health differences by race/ethnicity and gender.