A new research initiative led by the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) and the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, aims to address disparities in kidney health caused by structural racism.
The Eliminating Racism And Structural inEquities in Kidney Disease (ERASE-KD) consortium seeks to address how systemic inequities—like housing segregation and discriminatory policies—impact kidney health outcomes, particularly in racial and ethnic minority communities. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure disproportionately affect these populations, largely due to these societal barriers.
“We are working together to address unjust social risks, systems, and policies that create health inequities in racial and ethnic minority populations,” said Dr. Keisha Bentley-Edwards, Cook Center Associate Director of Research, Director of it’s Health Equity Working Group, and one of three leaders on this initiative. “Community leadership and insights will be essential to develop and then evaluate these powerful solutions to address structural racism head on.”
Funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the consortium is a collaboration among academic researchers, community leaders, and a network of project teams across the U.S. Dr. Bentley-Edwards serves as one of the project’s co-principal investigators, alongside Christina Wyatt, MD, MSc, and Huiman Barnhart, PhD, MA, with Stefany Olague, MPH, as project director.
The ERASE-KD effort includes:
- A coordinating center at DCRI.
- Five project teams working closely with local communities.
- An executive and steering committee guiding the initiative.
The ERASE-KD consortium is unique in its emphasis on community input at every stage of research and intervention design. Local voices will shape the solutions, ensuring that they are culturally relevant and effective for those most impacted.
For more on this important initiative, visit the detailed feature by DCRI.
The consortium recently launched its website, providing updates on research projects, leadership, and resources for community engagement.
