Structural racism and its pathways to asthma and atopic dermatitis

Area of Science:

• Allergy and immunology
• Health disparities research
• Social determinants of health

Background:

• Black, Latinx, and Indigenous populations disproportionately suffer from asthma and atopic dermatitis in the U.S.
• Current research often focuses on socioenvironmental factors and genetic differences, overlooking broader systemic issues.
• Biomedical research benefits from diverse populations but needs to incorporate complex interactions between biological and structural factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a conceptual framework linking structural racism to atopic disease disparities.
• To demonstrate how structural racism acts as a root cause of these health inequities.
• To highlight the impact of structural racism on immune and stress responses.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of existing research.
• Development of a conceptual framework.
• Analysis of pathways through which structural racism influences health outcomes.

Main Results:

• Structural racism contributes to atopic disease disparities via residential segregation, socioeconomic status, and mass incarceration.
• These factors can lead to altered innate and adaptive immune responses.
• Physiologic stress responses are augmented, increasing disease burden in racial and ethnic minority groups.

Conclusions:

• Structural racism is a fundamental driver of atopic disease disparities.
• Understanding these systemic factors is essential for developing effective interventions.
• Addressing structural inequities is necessary to reduce the disproportionate burden of asthma and atopic dermatitis.