Measuring the Immeasurable

The complex aspects of structural racism—encompassing policies, practices, and cultural biases—make it difficult to measure, often requiring innovative methods that account for historical and contemporary disparities. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Karen Bandeen-Roche, a distinguished biostatistician who has mastered the art of quantifying the unquantifiable. Dr. Bandeen-Roche guides us through her expertise in measuring elusive variables such as frailty and how this skill could illuminate aspects of healthcare’s structural racism. 

References

• Bandeen-Roche K, Gross A L, et al. Principles and Issues for Physical Frailty Measurement and Its Clinical Application. The Gerontological Society of America. July 2019.
• Bandeen-Roche K, Xue Q-L, et al. Phenotype of Frailty: Characterization in the Women’s Health and Aging Studies. Journal of Gerontology. March 2006.