Cheryl Prescod, a health-care administrator with a decade of experience, has observed the challenges faced by Black Canadians within the health-care system’s one-size-fits-all approach. Serving as the executive director at the Black Creek Community Health Centre in Toronto’s Jane and Finch area, Prescod caters to a diverse client base, with a significant representation of Black and racialized individuals who struggle to access culturally sensitive and safe health care.
Certain diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and triple-negative breast cancer, disproportionately affect Black individuals. To address this disparity, a collaborative effort involving researchers from Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia has initiated the genCARE project. This project aims to genomically analyze over 10,000 Black Canadians with these specific conditions, alongside individuals without underlying health issues. Funded by Genome Canada, the project seeks to identify targeted treatment and preventive strategies, ultimately striving for equitable and anti-racist health outcomes.
Prescod emphasizes the importance of including Black individuals in genetic studies, noting that less than five percent of such research globally involves data from Black populations. By incorporating findings from the genCARE project, Prescod hopes to enhance the management of health conditions for her patients at Black Creek.
Dr. Upton Allen, the project’s administrative lead, envisions a future where precision medicine considers a patient’s genetic composition and other factors for tailored diagnosis and treatment. Overcoming historical discrimination and mistrust towards medical institutions within the Black community poses a recruitment challenge for the project, which aims to gather insights from thousands of participants.
The initiative addresses the deficiency in genetic databases by involving racialized populations, aiming to provide more accurate disease predictions and personalized healthcare. Establishing trust with participants remains a priority, with data anonymization and community engagement strategies in place to ensure transparency and respect.
Moving forward, the genCARE project plans to expand recruitment efforts beyond community health centers to include doctors’ offices, hospitals, and eventually children. While immediate benefits may not be apparent, Prescod believes that the project’s outcomes could positively impact future generations within the Black community.
