Answering calls for rigorous health equity research: a cross-sectional study leveraging electronic health records for data disaggregation in Latino

This study aimed to investigate the recording of country of birth in electronic health records (EHRs) among Latinos and its association with demographic features and cardiovascular risk profiles. The researchers analyzed data from a network of community health centers across multiple states over a nine-year period. They found that country of birth information was available for 127,138 Latinos in 782 clinics across 22 states. Compared to those with recorded country of birth, Latinos without this information were more likely to be uninsured and less likely to prefer Spanish. While overall prevalence of heart disease and risk factors were similar across the three groups, significant variations were observed when data was disaggregated by specific Latin countries of origin, particularly in diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. The study highlights the importance of collecting accurate country of birth data in EHRs to improve health equity research and inform clinical and public health practices, especially in immigrant populations.