Black, Asian And Minority Ethnic Research Articles

The use of the term Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic in The Voice and Eastern Eye newspapers, a discourse analysis of Covid news stories in the UK press

This study finds that during the pandemic the UK mainstream press presented a blame narrative in their news stories when discussing BAME communities in relation to Covid-19. Articles from The Voice and Eastern Eye newspapers aimed at diasporic readers were contrasted with stories from UK mainstream press, published during the first lockdown in the UK. An intersectional approach was taken to examine news articles published between March and July 2020. The analysis revealed a failure in the British mainstream press to recognise structural and systemic racism when reporting Covid related stories. In contrast, the ethnic press looked for solutions and tried to examine structural racism. A deficit approach is evident in the mainstream press that sought to apportion blame to cultures, faith, and customs. There is a focus on the terminology BAME (Black Asian and minority ethnic) used as a formal descriptor by the UK Government and media to describe minority communities. The term is now defunct. It is acknowledged that Covid-19 accentuated differences that already existed in society, particularly those pertaining to race. Research has also evidenced that mainstream news organisations can be overly critical of minority communities, conflating their perceived flaws and condemning minorities as a method to delegitimise claims of mistreatment or differential outcomes.

Exploring Learning experiences of Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students in a Public Health Undergraduate Degree.

Whilst university data highlights that BAME students are awarded up to 33% lower assessment outcomes than their white counterparts, there is limited contextual information to explain why the situation arises. A small scale qualitative project sought to explore the barriers and enablers to Public Health students' learning experiences through semi-structured interviews. Emerging themes included the role of the family in their learning; the influence of peer groups and others in their motivation to study and becoming an independent student and these themes are viewed from a critical intercultural and intersectional perspective.

Whisper network knowledge of BAME women in academia: a critical realist, critical race feminist theory model of theorising inequality regimes

PurposeThis paper introduces a new approach to theorising and learning from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) women’s experiences of inequality in academia. It offers a versatile model with which the structure of a particular racist-sexist inequality regime can be theorised from empirical evidence.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents composite, fictionalised accounts of intersectional discrimination which are then analysed through critical realist frameworks, employing critical race feminist theory insights. This novel “whisper network” method centres the knowledge of BAME women in academia, and is translatable to other marginalised actors, offering a more protective means by which to access their knowledge as a foundation for organisational change.FindingsThrough theorising the ontological arrangement of key causal mechanisms responsible for the reproduction of inequality regimes, the paper illuminates links between micro-level intersectional discrimination and meso-level institutional inequality.Research limitations/implicationsIn order to preserve anonymity and reduce potential backlash, the vignettes in this paper are not intended to precisely capture specific empirical realities, but instead reflect wider patterns from the author's own whisper network knowledge. Nonetheless, the analytical method developed here could be applied to rigorously collected empirical data, with clear implications for improving organisational practice.Practical implicationsThe paper offers a structured and systematic process by which qualitative data on institutional inequality can be analysed and stakeholders engaged to develop and propose solutions, even by individuals new to the field.Social implicationsA methodical basis for strategic action addressing the issues revealed through such an analysis can be developed in order to galvanise and steer organisational change.Originality/valueThe novelty of the paper is twofold: in its original synthesis of critical realist depth ontology and ontological insights from critical race feminist theory about social structures of oppression, and in the development of the innovative “whisper network” method based upon a critical race theory counter-storytelling epistemology, in conversation with the emergent stream of literature within feminist organisation studies regarding the importance of “writing differently”.

A qualitative evaluation of mentors’ experiences of a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic mentor scheme for clinical psychologists

ABSTRACT Objectives Inequalities in the clinical psychology profession extend to the uptake and recruitment of clinical psychologists from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. Mentoring schemes can help facilitate mentee’s personal and professional development. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of mentors who participated in the BAME mentor scheme at University of Bath. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with N = 29 mentors (both trainee and qualified clinical psychologists), who predominately identified as female and White British. The reflexive thematic analysis six-step process was employed to analyse the data. Results Four major themes were generated; (1) Mentoring as a learning curve; (2) Mentoring in the context of BAME; (3) Why we mentor: The impact; and (4) Moving the scheme forward: What next? Conclusions Overall, mentoring was a rewarding experience for mentors, and given the right support, could help strengthen the mentoring experience and aims of the scheme for the future. These findings offer insight and guidance for future mentoring programmes considering diversifying the clinical psychology profession.

Built environment professionals’ perspective on digital technology skills

PurposeThis study aims to explore the opinions of Built Environment Professionals (BEP) on the usage of fourth-generation digital technologies in the construction industry.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a qualitative research approach and conducts semi-structured interviews with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) professionals to explore the adoption and utilisation of fourth-generation digital technologies in the construction industry. The semi-structured interviews allowed the participants to elaborate on their experiences, and thematic analysis was employed to identify and analyse significant themes related to the topic.FindingsAccounts from BAME construction professionals reveal that the increased popularity of fourth-generation digital technologies, also known as Industry 4.0 technologies, does not necessarily result in increased usage. This is because many of these new technologies have not been embraced and are unpopular in certain circles. A more significant revelation is the impact of BAME community settings on determining the career pathways of most individuals, which often do not support the construction or digital technology pathways within the construction industry.Research limitations/implicationsResearch targeting ethnic minorities may not necessarily yield a large response due to the sensitivity of the issues raised. However, conducting a nationwide research with a larger sample size drawn from various locations in the UK could achieve more robust findings and uncover additional issues. Meanwhile, the results of this research can serve as a framework for more extensive investigations.Practical implicationsThe research offers valuable recommendations to industry and academia regarding the need to address the specific challenges faced by the BAME community in terms of digital technology adoption. These issues are often overlooked in most discussions about digital technology.Originality/valueThe study provides critical recommendations that are relevant to Further and Higher Education (HE) institutions, industries, construction organisations, government bodies, etc. Recommendations include a call for collaboration between educational institutions, industry partners and local communities to facilitate awareness and orientation programmes within the community.

Patient and public involvementin the development of health services: Engagement of underserved populations in a quality improvement programme for inflammatory bowel disease using a community-based participatory approach.

Involving people with lived experience is fundamental to healthcare development and delivery. This is especially true for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) services, where holistic and personalised models of care are becoming increasingly important. There is, however, a significant lack of representation of underserved and diverse groups in IBD research, and there are significant barriers to healthcare access and utilisation among minority groups in IBD. IBD centres need to be aware of these experiences to address barriers via service changes, improve interactions with local communities and promote meaningful engagement for improved health outcomes. A pragmatic community-based approach was taken to engage with leaders and members of underserved groups across 11 workshops representing Roma, Afro-Caribbean, people of African descent and the wider black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, Muslim women, refugee community members, deprived areas of South Yorkshire, LGBTQ+ and deaf populations. Thematic analysis of field notes identified patterns of attention across the community groups and where improvements to services were most frequently suggested. Findings demonstrated several barriers experienced to healthcare access and utilisation, including language accessibility, staff attitudes and awareness, mental health and stigma, continuity of support, and practical factors such as ease of service use and safe spaces. These barriers acted as a lever to co-producing service changes that are responsive to the health and social care needs of these groups. Engaging with people from a range of communities is imperative for ensuring that service improvements in IBD are accessible and representative of individual needs and values. Local community leaders and members of community groups actively participated in the co-design and development of improvements to the IBDservice for a local hospital. Their contributions further informed a pilot process for quality improvement programmes in IBD centres.

Foreign-born nurses as COVID-19 survivors in the Nordic region: A descriptive phenomenological study.

In 2020, amid limited COVID-19 vaccination access, many nurses from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups in the United States of America and United Kingdom succumbed to the virus. No fatalities among Filipino foreign-born nurses (FBNs) in the BAME groups were recorded in the Nordic region. This study explored the experiences of Filipino FBNs in the Nordic region who, during the initial 2020 pandemic wave, cared for COVID-19 patients, contracted the virus and subsequently recovered. The research employed a descriptive phenomenological methodology to explore the experiences of six Filipino FBNs who had recovered from COVID-19 in various regions of the Nordic countries, including Finland (n = 1), Sweden (n = 1), Denmark (n = 2), Norway (n = 1) and Iceland (n = 1). Data collection occurred through online videoconferencing between September 2020 and February 2021, utilising a semi-structured approach. The data analysis was conducted following Sundler and colleagues' qualitative thematic analysis, which is grounded in descriptive phenomenology. The data analysis yielded three primary themes and twelve sub-themes, which explored the experiences of Filipino FBNs with COVID-19 infection. The study demonstrated that unclear national guidelines impacted nurses' preparedness in caring for COVID-19 patients, contributing to their susceptibility to contracting the virus. The lack of occupational healthcare services for nurses during and after the pandemic affected their work morale in an unfamiliar setting. The study provided valuable insights into the experiences of Filipino FBNs during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasising the need for clearer guidelines, enhanced training and improved support for healthcare workers. It highlighted the psychological impact of COVID-19, emphasising the importance of mental health support and stigma reduction efforts. The study also emphasised the significance of improving occupational health services to support the well-being and recovery of healthcare workers during and after the pandemic, with implications for developing comprehensive strategies to protect frontline healthcare workers in health crises.

“We are no longer using the term BAME:” a qualitative analysis exploring how activists position and mobilize naming of minority ethnic groups in Britain

Abstract In early 2021, the term BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) was commonly used by the government, public bodies, and the mass media to describe minority ethnic groups in Britain. However, this usage faced fierce criticism, particularly due to complex tensions surrounding racial and ethnic identity, solidarity, and history. This article critically evaluates these tensions and the meaning behind BAME through 10 interviews with activists working in the field of British race relations. My principle focus amid this debate revisits the foundations of the term BAME, which, I argue, is rooted in the rise and fall of Political Blackness. Additionally, I examine the broader strategic purposes of BAME as well as emphasize the importance of colorism within our discussions of racialization in Britain. Ultimately, this discussion seeks a richer account of our current climate around ethnic identification that considers both the potential and the limits of the term BAME.

Fighting the BIPOC Awarding Gap: Decolonising Translation in Higher Education

This article reports on a project entitled “Tackling the BIPOC Awarding Gap” (2022–2025), whose aim is to foster teacher training practices that enhance diversity in language learning environments and tackle the awarding gap experienced by BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) aka BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) students. According to Advance HE (2021), the difficulties experienced by BAME-BIPOC students to achieve higher marks remain a patent reality in most of today’s higher-education institutions in the UK. This paper describes how our collaborative project endeavours to tackle the BAME-BIPOC awarding gap from four main angles: 1) student-teacher collaboration; 2) teacher training; 3) redevelopment and decolonisation of practical translation syllabi; and 4) the establishment of a support network. In this paper, the focus is put on the main challenges, lessons learnt and examples of best practices stemming from the first year of this project.

How counselling psychologists address issues of race with clients from black Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds: A discourse analysis

The prejudiced experiences that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) clients report when discussing culture, racial discrimination and race has been documented. However, research seldom investigates the practitioners’ interpretations when engaging with clients from non-White ethnic backgrounds. This raises questions about how professionals address individuals' needs in clinical and supervisory practice. Therefore, the present study shed light on the discourses counselling psychologists use to address and discuss issues of race and discrimination when talking with clients in clinical practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of six counselling psychologists (mean age 40 years) who had engaged with clients or supervisees from a BAME background. A Discourse Analysis (DA) was employed to analyze dialogue used by participants in discussing race and discrimination in counselling psychology practice. This analysis yielded three main discourses when counselling psychologists described their therapeutic interactions with BAME clients and supervises. These were Systemic Institutional Racism; Legitimizing Racism; and Challenging Systemic Racism. The first two discourses alluded to similar repertoires present in the discussions of white counselling psychologist participants, whereas the discourse challenging systemic racism was constructed by BAME counselling psychologists. Findings indicate that becoming attuned and open to discussing race-related difficulties supports favorable outcomes in practice when engaging with BAME individuals. This research offers valuable implications for service provision across counselling and therapeutic practice.

From equality to equity: A case study of Creative Shift’s ‘the leader within Women+ of Colour Leadership Programme’

In this case study, we focus on a particular University of the Arts London positive action intervention, the Women+ of Colour in Leadership Programme (W+CinL) developed by Creative Shift. The case study explores how taking a more equitable, asset-based approach supports the retention, attainment, and employability of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and self-defined female + students. The programme can be seen as an example of an asset-based model which recognises the inherent value and life wide experience that students bring to their learning. By shifting from equality towards equity, this approach recognises histories of injustice and intersectional disadvantage to disrupt and transform systems of oppression. From the case study, we acknowledge the potential Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have to reshape support for marginalised students through a broader range of initiatives that facilitate the move to a more equitable and diverse creative economy.

An exploration of teaching diverse students in a higher education institution in the UK: A case study of a University in London

This study investigates race equality at The University of Sunderland in London through an analysis of practices and perspectives. Interviews were conducted with Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students, staff, and affiliated individuals, revealing seven major themes: Curriculum, Covid, Diversity, Personal Sphere, Institution, Belonging, and Technology. These themes offer valuable recommendations for fostering a more diverse and inclusive environment, improving the academic experience in UK Higher Education Institutions. To promote diversity, it is essential to ensure balanced student representation in classes and incorporate diversity considerations in recruitment and allocation processes. Creating a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusion is crucial for a positive learning environment. Mentorship programs can facilitate inclusivity, pairing BAME students with experienced staff. Policies should be reviewed to ensure inclusivity and non-discrimination. Increasing representation of people of colour in senior management roles enhances staff diversity. Staff training on creating an inclusive environment is important. Transparent and fair recruitment processes are necessary to avoid bias. Implementing these recommendations can contribute to a more inclusive and equitable higher education landscape, benefiting both students and staff.

Recognising clinical signs and symptoms on black, asian and minority ethnic (BAME) skin types

Despite its crucial role in diagnosis, accurately recognising clinical signs and symptoms across diverse skin types remains a significant challenge in healthcare. This article addresses this critical gap in clinical practice and medical education, focusing on the challenges of identifying and understanding skin conditions on Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) skin tones.

Exploring BAME Student Experiences in Healthcare Courses in the United Kingdom: A Systematic Review.

Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students in healthcare-related courses are exposed to various challenging experiences compared to their White counterparts, not only in the UK (United Kingdom) but across the globe. Underachieving, stereotyping, racial bias, and cultural differences, among other experiences, hinder their medical education, practice, and attainment. This review aimed to explore and understand the experiences of BAME students enrolled in healthcare related courses in the United Kingdom. Computerised bibliographic search was carried out using MeSH and free text descriptors via PubMed, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and Science Direct for eligible English-published studies exploring BAME experiences in the UK from 2010-2023. A cumulative total of 813 studies were obtained from the literature search, of which five met the inclusion criteria. Quality assessment for risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa scale, yielding one study of satisfactory quality, while four were deemed to be of good quality. BAME students pursuing health-related courses across the UK. face a range of experiences, including racial discrimination, unconscious bias, and a lack of representation and support. Additionally, BAME students are more likely to report incidents of racial harassment and withdraw from their respective courses as well as experiencing mental health issues due to their experiences.

A ward level analysis of child pedestrian casualty frequencies in Greater London

Introduction: Child pedestrian safety remains a challenge despite the remarkable progress that has been attained in recent years, particularly, in high income jurisdictions such as London. This study sought to identify and quantify the magnitude of the effects of various explanatory variables, from the domains of transport, built and natural environment, socio-demographic and economic factors, on ward level child pedestrian injury frequencies in Greater London. Method: We adopted a multilevel random parameters model to investigate the factors associated with child pedestrian injuries given the hierarchical nature of the data comprising of wards nested within boroughs. Results: We found that crime, the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) population, school enrollment, and the proportion of the population who walk five times a week had an increasing effect on the number of child pedestrian casualties. Conversely, the proportion of the population with a level 4 qualification and the number of cars per household had a decreasing effect. Conclusions: Our study identified high child pedestrian injury frequency wards and boroughs: Stratford and New Town had the highest expected child pedestrian injury frequencies followed by Selhurst, Westend, and Greenford Broadway. Some inner London boroughs are among the highest injury frequency areas; however, a higher number of high child pedestrian injury boroughs are in outer London. Practical Applications: The paper provides recommendations for policy makers for targeted child pedestrian safety improvement interventions and prioritization to optimize the utilization of often constrained resources. The study also highlights the importance of considering social inequities in policies that aim at improving child traffic safety.

Ethnicity disparities in job control in the United Kingdom

AbstractDespite widely‐reported ethnicity disparities in pay and occupational attainment, little is known about how different ethnic groups fare in job control—a crucial component of job quality with significant implications for well‐being and health. Drawing on two large‐scale representative datasets in the United Kingdom (1992–2022), we find that workers from all Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups conditionally report significantly lower job control than their White British counterparts, although heterogeneity exists depending on the BAME group in question. Ethnicity penalties are also most pronounced for foreign‐born workers. Despite a slow trend towards convergence, ethnicity disparities have remained significant over the last three decades. We further show that disparities are largely unexplained by compositional factors such as pay and occupation, demonstrating ethnicity penalties in job control. By linking ethnicity to job control, this study contributes to the growing research on BAME workers in the labour market, as well as the literatures on job quality and multisegmented labour markets.

Bridging the gap: Understanding the barriers and facilitators to performance for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic medical students in the United Kingdom.

Differential attainment is a well-known phenomenon in medical education. Despite a strong impetus for institutions and researchers to move away from a 'student deficit model' when exploring the attainment gap, little attention has been given to understanding the experiences of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) medical students. Informed by the social construction of learning theory, this is the first national study to explore how multiple dimensions of the medical school environment impact academic performance of BAME undergraduate medical students across the UK. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, the authors conducted a survey and facilitated three focus groups across medical schools in the UK between 2020-2021. Participants self-identified as being from BAME backgrounds. Quantitative analyses included descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis, subsequently identifying inductive themes. Three hundred sixty-two respondents completed the Phase 1 survey, and 17 participants participated in the Phase 2 focus groups. Although both survey and focus group participants identified facilitators to learning such as supportive relationships, students reported facing numerous barriers that they felt impeded their learning and performance. These barriers included limited access to educational resources, and undiversified curricula and medical school populations. Students also described both experiencing and witnessing various forms of racism throughout their educational journeys. Students encountered various difficulties throughout their medical training that they felt impacted their learning and performance. This study offers novel insights into the experiences of BAME students and builds upon previous research. It also reveals the pervasive nature of racism within medical schools, highlighting the urgent need for institutional changes. Educators and institutions must go beyond merely recognising these barriers and facilitators; they must proactively innovate and adapt. In doing so, they pave the way for inclusive learning environments that truly foster a sense of belonging for BAME students.

The impact of COVID-19 on the changes in health behaviours among Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities in the United Kingdom (UK): a scoping review

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in health behaviours, which include eating patterns and nutrition, smoking, alcohol consumption, sleeping patterns, physical activity and sedentary behaviour. There is a dearth of evidence reporting the impact of COVID-19 on the health behaviour of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities. This scoping review synthesises the available evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on the changes in health behaviours among BAME communities in the UK.MethodsFollowing a keyword strategy, 16 electronic databases were searched for articles that met the screening criteria. These articles were then reviewed in full text. Empirical studies that assessed COVID-19 related health behaviour changes among BAME communities in the UK, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic between July 2020 and August 2021 and published in English language, were set as inclusion criteria. An initial 2160 studies were identified in the selected databases. After removing duplications and screening the title and abstracts of the 2154 studies, only 4 studies were selected to be reviewed as they met the inclusion criteria. The included studies employed different sample sizes which ranged from N = 47 to N = 30,375 and reported several health behaviour changes. Out of the 4 included studies, 3 studies included BAME groups within their sample as a subgroup while one study focused specifically on BAME groups.ResultsThe scoping review found that there were lower levels of physical activity among BAME groups compared to the White ethnic groups. About 41.7% of BAME groups reported drinking less alcohol than usual compared to their white counterparts who were, 34% of whom reported drinking less alcohol. Study participants from BAME backgrounds had the greatest effect of COVID-19 on decisions to purchase healthier food compared to people from white backgrounds whose decisions on purchasing healthier food were least affected. Similar to other ethnic groups the COVID-19 pandemic increased positive hygiene among BAME groups which is important in preventing other diseases and infections..ConclusionCOVID-19 had a significant impact on the health behaviours of BAME groups especially during the lockdowns as they reported changes to behaviour such as low levels of physical activities. Hence, it is important to promote health awareness among BAME groups to encourage healthy living. In addition, programmes such as physical fitness activities that favour BAME groups should be put in place, for example BAME women’s walking groups to encourage people from BAME backgrounds to engage more in physical activities. Furthermore, healthy food programmes such as food parcels can be given to people from BAME backgrounds who are not able to afford healthy food due to the impact of COVID-19. Similar to other ethnic groups, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased positive hygiene among BAME groups which is important in preventing other diseases and infections.

The Student Voice: Decolonising the Curriculum

This case study presents the importance of the student voice to decolonise the curriculum at a British university. The aim is to emphasise the increasing necessity and urgency for student input to the wider decolonisation process as a means to foster equality. It has been argued by some scholars that decolonisation of the curriculum in higher education institutions (HEIs) is closely connected to the racial awarding gap and the student voice plays an integral role regarding future decisions about pedagogy. The Student Voice: Decolonising the curriculum project did not ask Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students to spend time helping the university to decolonise the curriculum, rather it sought input from students who are experiencing the current curriculum. The process of decolonisation is often underestimated and not acted upon due to a lack of time. However, it is important as often the racial awarding gap reflects pedagogical practices which exclude BAME students. Student input to pedagogical decisions is an important step towards inclusivity. Critical conversations and co-produced resources such as websites can all contribute to an institution better equipped to deliver pedagogical practice contributing to narrowing the racial awarding gap and the wider aim to decolonise the curriculum.

Associations between polygenic risk score and covid-19 susceptibility and severity across ethnic groups: UK Biobank analysis

BackgroundCOVID-19 manifests with huge heterogeneity in susceptibility and severity outcomes. UK Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups have demonstrated disproportionate burdens. Some variability remains unexplained, suggesting potential genetic contribution. Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) can determine genetic predisposition to disease based on Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) within the genome. COVID-19 PRS analyses within non-European samples are extremely limited. We applied a multi-ethnic PRS to a UK-based cohort to understand genetic contribution to COVID-19 variability.MethodsWe constructed two PRS for susceptibility and severity outcomes based on leading risk-variants from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative. Scores were applied to 447,382 participants from the UK-Biobank. Associations with COVID-19 outcomes were assessed using binary logistic regression and discriminative power was validated using incremental area under receiver operating curve (ΔAUC). Variance explained was compared between ethnic groups via incremental pseudo-R2 (ΔR2).ResultsCompared to those at low genetic risk, those at high risk had a significantly greater risk of severe COVID-19 for White (odds ratio [OR] 1.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42–1.74), Asian (OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.63–5.09) and Black (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.11–3.53) ethnic groups. Severity PRS performed best within Asian (ΔAUC 0.9%, ΔR2 0.98%) and Black (ΔAUC 0.6%, ΔR2 0.61%) cohorts. For susceptibility, higher genetic risk was significantly associated with COVID-19 infection risk for the White cohort (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.26–1.36), but not for Black or Asian groups.ConclusionsSignificant associations between PRS and COVID-19 outcomes were elicited, establishing a genetic basis for variability in COVID-19. PRS showed utility in identifying high-risk individuals. The multi-ethnic approach allowed applicability of PRS to diverse populations, with the severity model performing well within Black and Asian cohorts. Further studies with larger sample sizes of non-White samples are required to increase statistical power and better assess impacts within BAME populations.