CRA’s Kristen Backor and Hannah Tyldsley co-authored a peer-reviewed article titled “Identifying High-Impact Solutions to Address Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities in Lupus: A Consensus-Based Approach.” In this publication, the authors conducted formative research aimed at identifying solutions that address inequitable health outcomes in lupus due to adverse social determinants of health (SDoH).
This study used a consensus-based approach to identify high-impact solutions for reducing racial and ethnic health disparities in lupus. Through a literature review, expert panel discussions, and a modified Delphi survey, 33 solutions were classified into four categories: financial safety net, patient education and shared decision-making, physician education, and other solutions.
High-impact solutions that were prioritized included the following:
- Collecting detailed patient data to provide personalized care and accelerate the development of new products;
- Expanding Medicaid coverage via infrastructure; and
- Assisting lupus patients with disability applications.
These findings underscore the importance of addressing health and health care disparities linked to negative SDoH as a key goal in the management of lupus. Increasing awareness of effective solutions and aligning the community on top priorities can enhance equity and improve outcomes for people living with lupus.
