Products

USC Recruiting For Study To Explore Impact Of Culture And Genetics On Hispanics With MS [Education News]

Health Care June 2018
The Keck School of Medicine of USC is actively recruiting Hispanics with multiple sclerosis (MS) to participate in a study examining the impact of genetics, acculturation and cultural perceptions on disease severity. The multicenter study, which is being funded by a grant from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, is recruiting 400 Hispanics who have been diagnosed with MS within the last two years.

LOS ANGELES  -- The Keck School of Medicine of USC is actively recruiting Hispanics with multiple sclerosis (MS) to participate in a study examining the impact of genetics, acculturation and cultural perceptions on disease severity.

"Very little is known about MS within the Hispanic population, and less than one percent of MS studies address minorities," says neurologist and lead investigator Lilyana Amezcua, MD, associate professor of clinical neurology at the Keck School. "There are large gaps in knowledge that we want to address with this study."

Hispanics are the second-largest group affected by MS, behind whites, according to Amezcua. The actual number of minorities in the United States with MS is unknown, she said.

The multicenter study, which is being funded by a grant from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, is recruiting 400 Hispanics who have been diagnosed with MS within the last two years. Other study sites in the trial include the University of Miami, University of New Mexico and Caribbean Neurological Center in Puerto Rico. Participants will be followed for two years.

As part of the study, participants will take validated questionnaires about acculturation and illness perception. They will also answer an environmental survey and questions related to ancestry. All participants will also watch a short film about MS.

"Studies have shown that Hispanics in the United States who are less acculturated tend to have greater health complications and are less likely to seek medical care in general," Amezcua said. "By asking questions about the extent of acculturation, we can begin to better understand how sociocultural factors and genetic predispositions influence the degree and severity of MS symptoms in Hispanics."

Participants will also provide a genetic sample that will be analyzed for ancestry. The researchers will assess whether Asian, Native American, European or African genetic markers influence disease severity.

"One of the study's goals is to determine whether Hispanics with a higher proportion of Native American and/or African genetic ancestry have more severe MS than Hispanics with a higher proportion of European ancestry," Amezcua says.

People who are interested in being a part of this study can call Andrea Martinez, MPH, lead project specialist at (323) 442-6817 or email andrea.martinez@med.usc.edu

SOURCE Keck School of Medicine of USC

Hispanic Outlook is an education magazine in the US available both in print and digital form.  Visit https://www.hispanicoutlook.com/education-magazine for information about our latest issue.

Renew your subscription to Hispanic Outlook here

Share with:

Product information

Post a Job

Post a job in higher education?

Place your job ad in our classified page on the HO print & digital Edition