Finally, concern has been raised that attention to the role of genetics in contributing to health disparities could undermine research on the environmental contributions to health disparities, which are known to be significant.73 AAs have been relegated to a unique social position that stems from a longstanding history of subjugation within the United States, frequently facing negative environmental conditions such as exposure to multiple forms of stress24,25 and discrimination76 across socioeconomic strata, and with many disproportionately burdened from residential segregation,75 poor socioeconomic conditions, 77 and subsequent greater levels of incarceration74 Understanding all factors that contribute to health disparities—both social conditions and genetics—is clearly a worthwhile pursuit. Genetic factors alone are unlikely to play a major role in accounting for racial health disparities23,66 and, more importantly, health inequalities. However, as biologic data increasingly play a role in medicine, as per the precision medicine initiative, failure to include AAs and populations other than those of European descent could exacerbate health disparities in the future.
