Underrepresented And Underserved: How Demographics Compound The Challenges Of Fighting Rare Disease

By Deborah Requesens, PhD, Co-Founder of the Hispanic Society for Rare Diseases, and Sharyn Worrall, AVP, Life Sciences, Komodo Health

Seeking care for a rare disease can be daunting, as the healthcare journey for people with these types of illnesses is often long and frustrating. It can take years to get a correct diagnosis, and many patients are misdiagnosed and treated for the wrong condition. This is especially true for people who are members of demographic groups that are already subjected to disparities in care.

For example, Hispanic patients are more than twice as likely to be uninsured than White patients. They also face other challenges associated with care, such as language barriers and lack of transportation. As a result, they may have to wait longer to see a doctor, and it is possible that they may not receive the same quality of care.

Explore some specific ways to identify these disparities and inform efforts to improve access and outcomes for underserved demographics by accessing the article below.