DNA strands intertwining with a vibrant Latino neighborhood, symbolizing precision medicine and community health.

DNA Insights for All: Bridging the Gap in Latino Healthcare

Kai Mendoza in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Pioneering a path to personalized medicine in underserved communities through genetic research."

Precision medicine, which tailors medical treatment to the individual characteristics of each patient, holds immense potential for improving health outcomes and reducing disease burden. Ideally, this approach relies on medically actionable genetic findings, guiding interventions to mitigate or prevent disease. However, the benefits of precision medicine often remain out of reach for many, particularly those in underserved communities.

A significant limitation in current genomic research is the lack of diversity among participants and clinical settings. Racial and ethnic minorities, as well as individuals from low-income communities, are often underrepresented, hindering the generalizability and applicability of precision medicine initiatives. To address this gap, it's crucial to include diverse populations and settings in the design and implementation of these studies.

The Arizona Return of Actionable Variants Empirical (RAVE) Study, conducted in collaboration with Mountain Park Health Center (MPHC), a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), aimed to expand precision medicine to a community-based primary care practice serving a predominantly Latino population. This article describes the rationale, design, procedures, and implementation framework for the Arizona RAVE study, highlighting the challenges and opportunities encountered in bringing genomic medicine to an underserved community.

Engaging the Community: A Collaborative Approach

DNA strands intertwining with a vibrant Latino neighborhood, symbolizing precision medicine and community health.

The success of the Arizona RAVE study hinged on a collaborative approach that actively engaged healthcare providers, staff, and community members. Prior to enrolling participants, researchers met with MPHC leadership and primary care providers to:

Orient clinicians to the project and its goals.
Establish a clear process for returning actionable and nonactionable results to participants and providers through the electronic health record (EHR).
Develop clinical decision support tools for follow-up education and care.

The research team also engaged with the Sangre Por Salud Biobank Community Advisory Board (CAB) to gain valuable insights into recruitment strategies and culturally appropriate materials for conveying results to participants. Based on the CAB’s feedback, study-related documents and procedures were adapted for cultural, language, and contextual appropriateness. A bilingual/bicultural research coordinator was hired to recruit and enroll participants, ensuring effective communication and trust within the community.

Lessons Learned: Bridging the Precision Medicine Gap

The Arizona RAVE study provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of implementing precision medicine in underserved communities. Key lessons learned include:

<ul><li>Recruitment Process: Engaging and enrolling participants from underserved communities requires a resource-intensive and protracted effort, necessitating multiple contact attempts and personalized interactions.</li><li>Communication and Education: Clear, culturally sensitive communication is crucial for addressing fears and misconceptions about genetic testing and ensuring informed consent.</li><li>Community Partnerships: Collaboration with community advisory boards and healthcare providers is essential for tailoring research protocols and ensuring that interventions are culturally appropriate and aligned with community needs.</li></ul>

By addressing these challenges and fostering collaborative partnerships, it is possible to bridge the precision medicine gap and ensure that all individuals, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status, have access to the benefits of personalized healthcare.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1159/000494488, Alternate LINK

Title: Developing A Process For Returning Medically Actionable Genomic Variants To Latino Patients In A Federally Qualified Health Center

Subject: Genetics (clinical)

Journal: Public Health Genomics

Publisher: S. Karger AG

Authors: Gabriel Q. Shaibi, Iftikhar J. Kullo, Davinder P. Singh, Richard R. Sharp, Eleanna De Filippis, Idali Cuellar, Valentina Hernandez, Sharon Levey, Carmen Radecki Breitkopf, Janet E. Olson, James R. Cerhan, Lawrence J. Mandarino, Stephen N. Thibodeau, Noralane M. Lindor

Published: 2018-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

What is precision medicine, and why is it important?

Precision medicine tailors medical treatments to the individual characteristics of each patient, with the goal of improving health outcomes. This is significant because it can reduce the burden of disease. The article highlights how the Arizona RAVE study aims to bring this benefit to the Latino population, a group often underserved by traditional healthcare approaches. Implications include more effective treatments and better health management, especially when guided by actionable genomic findings.

What is the Arizona RAVE study?

The Arizona RAVE study is a project designed to bring precision medicine to a community-based primary care practice, specifically serving a predominantly Latino population. It aims to provide actionable genomic insights within Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). The importance lies in expanding the reach of precision medicine to underserved communities. The implications involve potentially improving healthcare outcomes and promoting health equity for a demographic often left out of these advancements.

Why is community engagement important in the context of the study?

Community engagement is essential in the Arizona RAVE study, involving healthcare providers, staff, and community members. Researchers collaborated with the Sangre Por Salud Biobank Community Advisory Board (CAB) to gain insights on recruitment and culturally appropriate materials. The significance of this approach is to build trust and tailor the study to the specific needs of the Latino population. Implications include better participant engagement, more relevant research findings, and increased likelihood of successful implementation of precision medicine initiatives.

What is the significance of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in this context?

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are community-based healthcare providers that serve medically underserved areas and populations. Within the context of the Arizona RAVE study, MPHC (Mountain Park Health Center), an FQHC, was a critical partner. The importance lies in the study's focus on bringing genomic medicine to underserved communities, as FQHCs are typically the primary healthcare providers for these populations. This has implications for improving healthcare access and outcomes for those who need it most.

What are actionable genomic findings, and why are they relevant?

Actionable genomic findings are medically useful results from genetic testing that can guide interventions to mitigate or prevent disease. The Arizona RAVE study's aim is to deliver these findings to Latino patients. This is important because these findings can lead to more effective treatment plans, preventative strategies, and better overall health management. The implications involve personalized medicine approaches that cater to individual patient needs based on their genetic makeup, leading to improved health and well-being.