In her decade-long tenure as a healthcare administrator, Cheryl Prescod has personally witnessed how Black Canadians can feel marginalized by the generalized approach often adopted by the national healthcare system. Serving as the executive director at the Black Creek Community Health Centre in Toronto’s Jane and Finch area, Prescod caters to a diverse clientele, with a significant representation of Black and racialized individuals who struggle to access culturally sensitive healthcare services.
Black individuals are disproportionately affected by specific illnesses such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and triple-negative breast cancer. Commencing on February 1, a collaborative effort involving researchers from Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, supported by Genome Canada, is launching the genCARE project. This initiative aims to analyze the genetic makeup of over 10,000 Black Canadians afflicted with these diseases, along with individuals without any underlying health conditions.
The project leaders anticipate that their discoveries will guide targeted treatment and preventive care strategies, fostering more equitable and anti-racist health outcomes. Prescod emphasized the importance of including Black individuals in genetic studies, highlighting that less than five percent of such research worldwide involves data from this demographic, potentially rendering study findings inapplicable to them.
The genCARE project, spearheaded by Dr. Upton Allen, seeks to integrate patients’ genetic profiles and other factors into diagnosis and treatment, promoting precision medicine practices. Overcoming deep-rooted mistrust stemming from historical discrimination against Black individuals in medical settings presents a significant recruitment challenge for the project, which aims to engage thousands of participants.
Collaborating with the Black Creek Community Health Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic, Allen acknowledges the skepticism within Black communities towards healthcare systems due to systemic bias. The project’s focus on Black Canadians is distinctive, aiming to address longstanding health disparities and foster inclusivity in medical research.
Dr. Gavin Oudit, a cardiology professor at the University of Alberta, lauds the genCARE project for its potential to enhance disease predictions and treatment outcomes. He notes the inadequacy of genomic databases in accurately representing racialized populations, underscoring the importance of rectifying this deficiency.
To ensure data accuracy and build trust among participants, the researchers pledge to anonymize DNA information and securely store it within Canada. Prescod recalled the collaborative efforts during the pandemic, where community ambassadors played a crucial role in disseminating healthcare information and fostering trust within the community.
The project’s recruitment strategy involves partnering with community health centers, medical practices, and hospitals, with plans to extend participation to children in subsequent project phases. While immediate impacts may not be apparent, Prescod envisions the long-term benefits of the genCARE project for future generations, emphasizing the enduring significance of inclusive healthcare research initiatives.