Better ethnicity data in health research spotlighted in new podcast

In this episode, Professor Kamlesh Khunti, Director of ARC East Midlands and a leading figure in ethnic health research, shares insights from the recent paper, “Five ways to enhance the diversity and quality of health data”. 

He explains how gaps and inconsistencies in ethnicity data can make it harder to identify and address health inequalities, especially for ethnic minority communities – a challenge highlighted in recent ARC East Midlands research showing ethnic minorities are often underrepresented in MLTC studies.

Professor Khunti said: “We need standardised ethnicity coding across the NHS, better staff training, and to involve communities in how data is collected, so we can truly understand and address the challenges people face.”

The discussion also reflects on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, when missing or unclear data made it difficult to understand the true impact on different groups.

By improving the accuracy and consistency of ethnicity data, health professionals, researchers, and policymakers can make more informed decisions, ultimately leading to fairer and more effective healthcare for all communities.

The full podcast episode is available here:

Chronic Conversations is a podcast series hosted by the NIHR ARC East Midlands – the leading national ARC for research on multiple long-term conditions. The series aims to bring together experts and people with lived experience to share evidence-based insights on managing complex, long-term health conditions.

To listen to all the episodes of the Chronic Conversations podcast, click here.