AHA Journal Raises the Bar for Health Disparities Research

As part of efforts by the American Heart Association (AHA) to combat structural racism, one of its scientific journals outlined best practices when conducting and submitting research on racial and ethnic health disparities.

“Scientists and scientific journals have the opportunity to facilitate best practices and ultimately impact racial and ethnic disparities. The written interpretations of science by a few shape the future creation of history and science for many,” wrote the group led by Khadijah Breathett, MD, MS, of University of Arizona in Tucson, in a statement published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

As such, there are new author instructions going forward for researchers submitting to that journal, where Breathett is associate editor. The guidance is also under review by the editorial teams of the other scientific journals overseen by the AHA.

Under the new guiding principles, study authors should:

• Develop questions and methods informed by conceptual frameworks such as the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Framework
• Describe clearly why racial and ethnic populations were included in the study and how they were classified (self-identified classifications similar to the 2020 U.S. Census preferred when available)
• Form diverse and inclusive study teams and cite their scholarship
• Contextualize discussion of results within conceptual frameworks and models (i.e., identifying contributing factors and strategies for eradicating systemic barriers; examining social determinants of health; considering how next-step policies, interventions, and implementation science may promote more equitable health outcomes)
• Avoid generalized genetic explanations for racial and ethnic disparities unless the conceptual model specifically focuses on genetic data and addresses heterogeneous heritage and genetic admixture

“Moving from racial and ethnic disparities to cardiovascular health equity requires better standards and changes from within the journal. As an editorial team, we are interested in working with authors to incorporate these principles into their work and will use these best practices to evaluate future submissions on racial and ethnic disparities research,” noted Breathett’s group.

“We do not want this statement to discourage racial and ethnic disparities work. In fact, we hope this statement will inspire more and even stronger research in the field,” said the journal’s editor-in-chief Brahmajee Nallamothu, MD, MPH, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, in a press release.

The new guidelines mark another step in the AHA’s formally stated policy against racism.

Efforts are also underway to diversify the AHA journal contributors and staff, the first step being to ask authors and reviewers to identify themselves by race and ethnicity in the future.

“Although this may seem intrusive, it will be completely voluntary and not affect our decision-making around a submission. We view it as necessary to understand who we are and the collective diversity that is represented through our journal. As such, please take time to complete the journal profile form when you submit or review your next manuscript if you agree with this goal,” wrote Breathett and colleagues.

Last Updated February 11, 2021