Racial diversity in uterine leiomyoma clinical studies

• Published in: Fertility and sterility Vol. 94; no. 4; pp. 1500 - 1503
• Main Authors: Taran, F. Andrei, M.D, Brown, Haywood L., M.D, Stewart, Elizabeth A., M.D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-09-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Algorithms; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical Research - statistics & numerical data; Black women; Clinical Trials as Topic - statistics & numerical data; Continental Population Groups; Ethnic Groups - statistics & numerical data; Evidence-Based Practice; Female; Female genital diseases; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Internal Medicine; Leiomyoma - epidemiology; Leiomyoma - ethnology; Leiomyoma - therapy; Medical sciences; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Patient Selection; racial diversity; Tumors; uterine leiomyomas; Uterine Neoplasms - epidemiology; Uterine Neoplasms - ethnology; Uterine Neoplasms - therapy; uterine leiomyomas; Black women; racial diversity; Human; Gynecology; Black; Epidemiology; Obstetrics; Female genital diseases; Symptomatology; Race; Uterine diseases; Female; Uterine leiomyoma; Benign neoplasm; Woman; African American
• ISSN: 0015-0282; 1556-5653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.08.037

Objective To examine racial diversity in clinical studies on uterine leiomyomas included in a review of evidence-based practice because of the disproportionate burden of fibroids in Black women. Design Review of 106 studies cited in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) report on uterine leiomyomas. Setting Academic medical centers. Patient(s) None. Intervention(s) Estimation of the racial diversity of enrollment in studies on leiomyomas that did not report racial composition by two hypothetical models. Main Outcome Measure(s) Representation of Black women in studies from the AHRQ report. Result(s) Of the 106 analyzed studies, 81 studies did not report patients' race or ethnicity. Twenty-two of the 25 studies with reported race or ethnicity included Black participants. Analysis of studies reporting race and ethnicity, including studies specifically of African-American women, suggests that Black women comprise approximately half of all study participants. However, when estimating the proportion of Black women based on population demographics in each country, the representation of Black women in clinical leiomyoma studies appears to be closer to 15%. Conclusion(s) Most studies on uterine leiomyomas cited in the AHRQ evidence-based report did not report participation by race or ethnicity.