This post is sponsored by All of Us Research Program but all thoughts and comments are my own.
Greetings. I hope this post finds you well. It’s almost summer and we are finally returning to some sense of normalcy. With all that has transpired in the past year and a half, I wanted to talk to all of you about something that is near and dear to my heart; promoting informed health awareness.
One way of staying informed is to ensure you are represented in medical research. Precision medicine is based on the individual. It can help us learn the best way to stay healthy and give health care providers a better understanding of how to approach individuals differently. Precision medicine could change the way we treat disease.
I recently partnered with the All of Us Research Program and I am amazed how they actively work with partnered organizations to build trust in communities and help educate people about the importance of research. The All of Us Research Program is inviting one million people across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history by becoming a partner.
Contributing to All of Us makes it possible for our community to be represented in medical research. Black/African Americans make up 13.4% of the U.S. population, but only 5% of clinical trial participants. The fact of the matter is, many communities including ours have been left out of research in the past or were not even invited to take part.
Our Changing Nation: Black Population in the U.S.: 2000-2060
Unfortunately without diverse data, researchers can’t consider the needs of everyone when developing treatments and prevention strategies. Participants from all backgrounds are welcomed. Researchers use the data to learn how our biology, lifestyle, and environment affect health.
Many communities face health disparities. In order to better understand these disparities, more research is needed. I know when we think about the research we may immediately reference the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and our lack of trust sets in, but with All of Us, participants will be true partners–not subjects–with ongoing opportunities to help shape the program with their input.
Taking into account information reported in 2017, Louisiana is among the 10 states with the largest Black population. I encourage you to take the next step and sign up for All of Us Research Program. I’m asking you to get involved to ensure we will all be represented. You can sign up and help drive research forward by clicking here. As always, thank you for your support; it means a lot to me.
Be Well-Omniley
