Ophthalmology has been at the forefront of innovation and technology. However, there are still many disparities, both internationally and in the United States, in terms of disease prevalence, access to care, and outcomes. Relating to each of these measures, there are sex and gender disparities, racial and ethnic disparities, regional differences, genetic differences, and socioeconomic disparities. The goal of this issue is to highlight specific areas in ophthalmology in which there has been progress in ameliorating these disparities, and areas in which these disparities remain.
Eliminating racial, sex and gender, and regional variations in health, disease, and outcomes is a stated goal of the Institute of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, and the United States government, as well as international organizations and non-governmental organizations.Citation1−Citation4 With the newly introduced Intelligent Research in Sight (IRIS™) registry, the field of ophthalmology is in a position to take a more quantitative look at disparities in outcomes.Citation5 Other types of “big data” registries provide the opportunity to take a patient-centered approach to patient perceptions of unmet access and disparities.
By presenting this issue, we aim to identify areas where disparities exist, delve into the underlying causes (whether biological or social), and propose areas of future research to help eliminate the large gaps that still persist.
FUNDING
The Vanderbilt Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences received an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, making this Special Issue possible.
Additional information
Funding
REFERENCES
- Smedley BD, Stith AY, Nelson AR, Institute of Medicine (U.S.) Committee on Understanding and Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care; Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2003.
- Institute of Medicine (U.S.) Committee on Understanding the Biology of Sex and Gender Differences, Wizemann TM, Pardue ML. Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health: Does Sex Matter? Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001.
- Anderson KM, Institute of Medicine (U.S.) Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity and the Elimination of Health Disparities. How far have we come in reducing health disparities: Progress since 2000: Workshop summary. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2012.
- Institute of Medicine (U.S.) Committee on Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Health Issues and Research Gaps and Opportunities. The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People: Building a Foundation for Better Understanding; Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2011.
- Kohanim S, Sternberg P Jr. Ophthalmic patient data registries: Defining and improving quality and outcomes. Ophthalmology 2014;121(3):619–621.