BATON ROUGE, La – During May, which is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is working to raise awareness of the need for increased participation in health and medical research programs by members of minority communities who are historically underrepresented in medical research.
AAPI Heritage Month recognizes the contributions and influence of AAPI people to U.S. history, culture and achievements. They are the fastest-growing and most diverse racial group in the country, according to the Pew Research Center. Despite representing a significant portion of the population, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders face cultural and language barriers when accessing health care. They also have higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, kidney failure and colorectal cancer compared to non-Hispanic white people, according to the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum.
AAPI Heritage Month recognizes the contributions and influence of AAPI people to U.S. history, culture and achievements. They are the fastest-growing and most diverse racial group in the country, according to the Pew Research Center. Despite representing a significant portion of the population, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders face cultural and language barriers when accessing health care. They also have higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, kidney failure and colorectal cancer compared to non-Hispanic white people, according to the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum.
Additionally, they are historically underrepresented in health research. A study published last month in The Lancet of more than 20,000 U.S. clinical trials conducted between 2000 – 2020, representing about 4.76 million participants, showed Asian people comprised just 1% of participants in trials. That’s despite making up nearly 5% of the U.S. population in 2010. Moreover, 44% of clinical trials reported zero Asian American enrollees. Meanwhile, white enrollees made up nearly 80% of clinical trial participants, despite making up just 72% of the U.S. population. Only 2% of studies included no white enrollees.
All of Us Wants to Change the Future of Health
To advance diversity and equity in clinical research, Blue Cross is working to promote the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program in Louisiana. All of Us is an ambitious effort to gather health data from 1 million or more people living in the United States who reflect the country’s diversity. As a benefit of joining the program, participants have the opportunity to receive their own ancestry traits and genetic health information and can accelerate medical research that may improve health for all. The program takes a special interest in diversity and including people historically underrepresented in health research.
“All of Us aims to build one of the largest databases of health information of its kind, with one million or more people across the country taking part,” said Rod Teamer, Blue Cross director of Diversity Programs and Business Development. “The goal is that those people will be of different races, ethnicities, age groups, geographic regions, gender identities, sexual orientation and health statuses.”
According to All of Us, the lack of diversity in large genomic studies to date has had huge effects, limiting discovery while making health disparities worse. In March, the All of Us Research Program released its initial genomic dataset. Nearly 50% of the nearly 100,000 whole genome sequences included in the program’s initial genomic dataset come from participants who self-identify with a racial or ethnic minority group. Other data available through All of Us includes surveys, physical measurements, electronic health records and wearable devices.
“Currently, fewer than 10% of people taking part in all clinical trials are minorities, despite minorities making up 38% of the population,” said Teamer. “Those numbers aren’t diverse enough. In the pursuit for equity in health care, the All of Us Research Program is a powerful tool and fits our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians.”
Blue Cross’ newly formed Asian American & Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group (ERG) is sharing information during AAPI Heritage Month to help their colleagues learn more about the significance of this observance and to encourage more people, especially those from minority communities, to join research programs like All of Us. Through the ERGs, which represent African Americans, Hispanic Americans and the LGBTQ+ community, among other groups, Blue Cross is gathering employees who have diverse experiences, backgrounds and knowledge. The ERG members promote cultural diversity and professional development.
Blue Cross’ newly formed Asian American & Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group (ERG) is sharing information during AAPI Heritage Month to help their colleagues learn more about the significance of this observance and to encourage more people, especially those from minority communities, to join research programs like All of Us. Through the ERGs, which represent African Americans, Hispanic Americans and the LGBTQ+ community, among other groups, Blue Cross is gathering employees who have diverse experiences, backgrounds and knowledge. The ERG members promote cultural diversity and professional development.
Follow Blue Cross on social media @BCBSLA during May to see original graphics and posts celebrating AAPI Heritage Month and the accomplishments of members of this community. Blue Cross posts regularly on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok. Visit the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana YouTube channel to see short health videos on various topics. Subscribe to know when new videos are added.
The Goal of All of Us
The All of Us Research Program hopes to lay the groundwork for future health benefits. For example, this research could lead to better tests to see whether people are sick or at risk of getting sick. It could lead to better mobile apps to encourage healthy habits. It also could lead to information about how much of a medicine is right for each person.
“My children are Hawaiian, Japanese, Irish, German, French and English, and they’re beautiful. Knowing that the Asian American population is so under-researched, I am glad to know that my children and grandchildren will have access to information about themselves and others like them,” said Colleen, Director of Policy, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. “Researchers will be able to take that data and possibly make discoveries and find new cures one day. The All of Us Research Program could help not only me, but my children too.”
The All of Us Research Program enables traditional and nontraditional researchers to learn from a community of 1 million or more participants via the Research Hub. Participant data is encrypted and direct identifiers like names are removed.
U.S. residents over 18 years old, of any race, gender, sexual orientation or health status, are eligible to participate in All of Us. Visit joinallofus.org/LA to learn more. Participants complete a consent form and several online surveys about themselves, their health history, where they live, the health care they get and more. They may also be asked to visit a partner center to give a blood and urine sample and have physical measurements taken. They can share their electronic health records and other data.
Participants have access to the data they’ve shared and can learn things like their genetic ancestry and results of traits that are linked to DNA. The All of Us Research Program will last for 10 years or more.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is committed to our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. Founded in New Orleans in 1934, we are a tax-paying nonprofit health insurer with offices in every major region to serve our customers. We have been recognized for the past three years as an honoree of The Civic 50, named by Points of Light as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. We are a private mutual company, owned by our policyholders, with an independent Louisiana Board of Directors and no shareholders. We invite all Louisianians to visit our website at www.bcbsla.com or talk to us on social media.
All of Us is a registered service mark of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).
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