Abstract IA007: Achieving health equity through the All of Us research program
Authors: Watson Karriem S. 
Published: January 2023

The All of Us Research Program is a historic, longitudinal effort to gather data from one million or more people living in the United States to accelerate research and improve health. The program seeks to engage a community of participants that reflects the diversity of the United States. Our approach to creating a diverse database has been intentional and is unique given the historical lack of underrepresentation of certain communities in biomedical research. All of Us is committed to doing things differently and is succeeding at having a transformational research program focused on diversity. All of Us has built the largest, most diverse biomedical data resource of its kind, which is being used in research that is investigating health disparities and will move us closer to achieving health equity. Currently more than 30 studies on health equity, disparities, and social determinants of health are in progress based on All of Us data. 80% of participants are from communities underrepresented in biomedical research (including racial and ethnic minorities, sexual and gender minorities, people with disabilities, and others). Additionally, nearly 50% of participants self-identify as racial and ethnic minorities. Our ability to have a diverse participant pool is in part because of our community engagement efforts and the ecosystem built to support community partners. A key component of the All of Us Research Program is the deep investments we have made in building a community engagement ecosystem to raise the public’s awareness of the program and to build lasting relationships with communities. The program has been intentional in its efforts to build an engagement ecosystem since its inception and understood that representation matters. For instance, research has not always been conducted in places where the populations reflect the diversity of the United States. With this in mind, the program was intentional in its selection and inclusion of community health centers like Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) as part of our enrollment sites and their location to ensure everyone has a seat at the table. Two important aspects of our engagement ecosystem are the Community and Provider Gateway Initiative Partners (CPGI partners) and National Community Engagement Partners. These organizations have deep reach into communities that have been historically underrepresented in biomedical research and help bridge trust and serve as program validators in communities across the country. We have more than 100 Funded Partner Organizations and 8 National Community Engagement Partners, including Stanford University School of Medicine (PrideNet), National Baptist Convention, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, FiftyForward, Delta Research and Educational Foundation, Asian Health Coalition, and American Association on Health and Disability.The purpose of this presentation is to share the community engagement ecosystem and efforts that have led to the All of Us Research Program’s success as a diverse research program, moving us closer to achieving health equity.

Citation Format: Karriem S. Watson. Achieving health equity through the All of Us research program [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr IA007.