Canadians Launch Country's First Black Medical Journal
The Nigerian Canadian Medical Journal was launched on August 2 in Edmonton by the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD).
Hadal El-Hadi, MD
'This new journal can make a significant difference in addressing the health and social issues faced by Black Canadians,' Hadal El-Hadi, MD, founder of Black Physicians of Canada, told Medscape Medical News. 'By providing a dedicated platform for research, scholarship, and dialogue, it can elevate the voices of Black scholars and practitioners.'
El-Hadi, who is not involved in the journal, added that it could further play a role in highlighting critical health disparities, promoting culturally relevant research, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, and serving as a resource to guide the development of effective interventions and strategies that are tailored to the unique needs of Black communities.
Journal to Fill Minority Gaps in Research
The journal's editor-in-chief, Moses Ademola, MD, explained to Medscape Medical News that the aim was to create a peer-reviewed, open-access publication that provides fresh insights and a new global perspective that appeals to readers within and beyond the Nigerian community.
'We know from working around different teams that a diverse team improves outcomes for our patients, who, increasingly, are coming to us in diverse forms,' said Ademola, who is an emergency physician at Sturgeon Community Hospital, St. Albert, Alberta, and Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton.
'The CANPAD journal was formed to enrich medical discourse, offer mentorship, and foster collaborative research. While the journal is published by a Black committee, it's aimed at a broad global audience. It's our hope and prayer that it will reflect the multicultural and inclusive values of Canada. We'll follow the science and go where we feel we can make a difference. We want to be a platform for voices that would otherwise be missed,' Ademola explained.
Black Canadians Face Health Inequities
A Government of Canada public health agency study published in 2020 reported that racism has been increasingly recognized as an important driver of inequitable health outcomes for visible minority Canadians.
'The healthcare challenges faced by Black Canadians are distinct due to historical factors, including the legacy of colonialism and systemic racism, which create unique barriers to care,' said El-Hadi. 'Black patients can experience discrimination within healthcare settings, leading to mistrust and inadequate treatment. Additionally, cultural differences in health perceptions and the stress from ongoing racism contribute to disparities in health outcomes,' she said.
Lack of inclusion and diversity continues to be a source of concern for the Black community and public health organizations.
'Research gaps and health inequalities exist, and some of these are not modifiable,' explained Ademola. 'The Irish population tends to have cystic fibrosis. Blacks have a disproportionately high incidence of sickle cell disease. And Ashkenazi Jews are enriched for carriers of a fatal form of Tay-Sachs disease.' If clinicians aren't equipped to manage them well, the outcomes tend to be poorer, he said.
El-Hadi said there is a need for focused research on chronic diseases within Black communities, particularly concerning the impact of racism and stress.
Historically, the Black population in Canada and globally has been underrepresented in clinical research in terms of participation in clinical trials, as researchers, and in access to funding. Health studies often lack sufficient representation of Black Canadians, limiting understanding of their specific health needs. Cultural differences in health behaviors are also often overlooked, skewing data applicability.
'The medical community will have to work harder to ensure we don't end up with an unintended racial bias. The government must be intentional in ensuring that equity gaps are bridged. Scholars and scientists everywhere have to be aware of this blind spot. We need to work together so that health outcomes in all our population are similar,' said Ademola.
Canada's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council developed a work plan in 2020 to address anti-Black racism in research, leading to the establishment of an external advisory committee of Black researchers. The council says it aims to ensure that Black researchers have fair access to research support and is working with stakeholders to advance their equitable participation in the research ecosystem.
Ademola and El-Hadi reported having no relevant financial relationships.
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