Unwinding our legacy of racial bias in medicine is an ongoing process. The American Thoracic Society brings us good news on that front. In 2023 the ATS issued new clinical recommendations calling for the use of race-neutral equations in spirometry.
In a practice attributed in part to the writings of Thomas Jefferson in 1832, U.S. spirometers have applied correction factors of 10–15% for individuals labeled “Black” and 4–6% for people labeled “Asian.” Are lung capacities of all Black and Asian Americans actually lower than those of white Americans? Incorporation of this erroneous theory may have led to underdiagnosis and undertreatment of Black and Asian patients for many years.
We know now that race is a social construct, not a biological one. Instead of relying on race alone as a convenient but inaccurate shorthand, we can assess social determinants of health, genetics, mental health, and more. In an obvious example, proximity to poor air quality from freeways and industry, often linked with lower income is certainly a factor in poor lung function.
Learn more about race-neutral spirometry from CAFP’s Partner in Health, AstraZeneca.
Also, hear a deeper exploration of health equity and the history of medical bias at CAFP’s annual conference, Family Medicine POP!
