Temple University to address racial inequalities with new project

NORTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A team at Temple University's Lewis Katz School of Medicine has been given a $150,000 award to launch a project that addresses inequalities in healthcare. It's a problem the pandemic has brought into even greater focus.

Women and African Americans have been under-represented in clinical studies for years. The new project aims to change that by engaging people in the community and working with them.

Leading the project is cardiologist Dr. Deborah Crabbe. She says statistics show minorities and people in low-income areas are being hit harder by COVID-19, but in many cases they're left out of research, partly due to many African Americans mistrust in the medical system.

She says the project hopes to bridge the gap and they're focusing on one area in particular, North Philadelphia.

"Because, to me, their voice is often not heard and the voices of African Americans are often not heard in this space," said Dr. Crabbe.

The project is funded by an award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

The focus will be COVID-19, it's effects on the heart in women and African Americans.

"We can no longer be on the sideline, can no longer hide behind fears and mistrust. What we need to be is part of the solution," said Dr. Crabbe.

Temple University will be posting information soon on how to get involved.