Ethnic Considerations and Multiple Sclerosis Disease Variability in the United States

Erica Rivas-Rodríguez; Lilyana Amezcua

doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2017.08.007

Ethnic Considerations and Multiple Sclerosis Disease Variability in the United States

Neurol Clin. 2018 Feb;36(1):151-162. doi: 10.1016/j.ncl.2017.08.007.

Authors

Erica Rivas-Rodríguez¹, Lilyana Amezcua²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California (USC), 1520 San Pablo Street, Suite 3000, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
² Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California (USC), 1520 San Pablo Street, Suite 3000, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA. Electronic address: lamezcua@usc.edu.

PMID: 29157396
DOI: 10.1016/j.ncl.2017.08.007

Abstract

Minorities in the United States such as African Americans and Hispanics may have more severe disease than non-Hispanic whites. Factors contributing to these disparities are reviewed. The variations in disability from non-Hispanic whites may be the result of differences in clinical presentation, genetic underpinnings, and sociocultural factors. Creating awareness and increasing participation in research studies may improve our understanding.

Keywords: African American; Ethnicity; Genetic admixture; Health disparity; Hispanic; Race.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

African Americans
European Continental Ancestry Group
Female
Health Status Disparities*
Hispanic Americans
Humans
Male
Multiple Sclerosis / ethnology*
United States