Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health Announce AAD Collaboration

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health announced it is collaborating with AAD on the launch of the "Pathways: Inclusivity in Dermatology" initiative to increase the number of practicing dermatologists in the US who are from the Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities, which are all segments of the population that are not well represented in dermatology.¹

According to the Pathways website, people of color (POC) are 50% less likely than White patients to see a dermatologist for the same conditions. Helping a diverse generation of dermatologists may help close this disparity and accelerate the changes needed to improve health care equity in dermatology.² Its aim is to increase interest in dermatology. This starts by targeting students in high school then helping foster interest through college and medical school. This would continue all the way through mentorship support during residency.

The goals of the program, which will include scholarship offerings, skills workshops, mentorship programs, and leadership training, are:

• Increase the number of dermatology residents from Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities from approximately 100 residents to 250 residents by 2027, or by over 50%.
• Increase dermatology program faculty from Black, Latino, and Indigenous backgrounds by 2%.
• Increase Pathways “touchpoints” promoting dermatology to Black, Latino, and Indigenous high school, college, and medical school students by 10% each year.

“These goals have the potential to substantially reduce barriers to care, as various studies have linked increased diversity in the physician workforce to improved health care and outcomes for people of color,” according to the AAD website. “But according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges, in 2020, just 65 of the 796 applicants for dermatology residencies were Black or African American, and only 39 were Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin.”

The Academy refers to an article published in JAAD, which found that diversity in the physician workforce improves outcomes not only for people of color, but for all patients.³ There were studies also reveal that physicians of color are more likely to see non-white patients, according to the AAD website, and provide a disproportionate share of care to underserved populations. The website then suggests that increasing the number of practicing dermatologists from these populations can help reduce health care disparities.

References:

1. Johnson & Johnson consumer health unveils new skin health research at 2022 American Academy of Dermatology meeting. Published March 25, 2022. Accessed March 29, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/johnson--johnson-consumer-health-unveils-new-skin-health-research-at-2022-american-academy-of-dermatology-meeting-301510422.html
2. Pathways: inclusivity in dermatology. Accessed March 29, 2022. https://www.aad.org/member/career/diversity/diversity-pathways
3. Pandya AG, Alexis AF, Berger TG, Wintroub BU. Increasing racial and ethnic diversity in dermatology: A call to action. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2016;74(3):584-587. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.10.044