The Intersection of Structural Racism and Health Services Research in Characterizing the Epidemiology of Uterine Fibroids

This study by Langton et al explores the association between maternal family history and the development of uterine fibroids among a cohort of Black women who were fibroid-free at baseline. By ascertaining maternal fibroid history through direct surveying of the mothers, Langton et al provide a more robust assessment of family history of fibroids than has been captured previously using variable methods. Despite this enhanced method, this investigation by Langton et al offers a critical example of how structural racism intersects with health services delivery that affects the fundamental epidemiologic understanding of a medical condition disproportionately experienced by Black women.