Multiple Measures Reveal The Value of Both Race And Geographic Ancestry For Self-Identification

Vincent Damotte; Chao Zhao; Chris J. Lin; Eric Williams; Yoram Louzoun; Abeer S. Madbouly; Rochelle Kotlarz; Marisa McDaniel; Paul J. Norman; Antoine Lizée; Natalie M. Myres; Catherine A. Ball; Kenneth G. Chahine; Jake Byrnes; Yong Wang; Martin J. Maiers; Jill A. Hollenbach

doi:10.1101/701698

GeneticsbioRxivJul 13, 2019

Preprint

Multiple Measures Reveal The Value of Both Race And Geographic Ancestry For Self-Identification

Vincent Damotte iD, Chao Zhao iD, Chris J. Lin, Eric Williams, Yoram Louzoun iD, Abeer S. Madbouly iD, Rochelle Kotlarz, Marisa McDaniel, Paul J. Norman iD, Antoine Lizée iD, Natalie M. Myres, Catherine A. Ball, Kenneth G. Chahine iD, Jake Byrnes iD, Yong Wang iD, Martin J. Maiers iD, Jill A. Hollenbach iD

Abstract

There is long-standing tension regarding whether and how to use race or geographic ancestry in biomedical research. We examined multiple self-reported measures of race and ancestry from a cohort of over 100,000 U.S. residents alongside genetic data. We found that these measures are often non-overlapping, and that no single self-reported measure alone provides a better fit to genetic ancestry than a combination including both race and geographic ancestry. We also found that patterns of reporting for race and ancestry appear to be influenced by participation in direct-to-consumer genetic ancestry testing. Our results demonstrate that there is a place for the language of both race and geographic ancestry as we seek to empower individuals to fully describe their family history in research and medicine.\n\nOne Sentence SummarySelf-identification in the United States according to both racial and geographic terms best reflects genetic ancestry in individuals.

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