Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Minority Engagement in HSR

The AcademyHealth Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Minority Engagement in HSR houses analytic and programmatic activities that further understanding, awareness, and promotion of diversity in health services research (HSR).

As the professional society for HSR and policy, AcademyHealth works to improve both the supply and quality of HSR by expanding and improving the scientific basis of the field, increasing the capabilities and skills of researchers, and promoting the development of the necessary infrastructure of financial, human and data resources. As part of these efforts, AcademyHealth is committed to promoting diversity among our members and the field at large in terms of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other historically underrepresented backgrounds. Efforts in this area focus on:

1. Conducting outreach to universities to improve awareness of the field;
2. Supporting training and mentoring for students and junior faculty;
3. Supporting recruitment and retention of under-represented junior faculty by working with institutions and individuals to support candidates from a range of backgrounds;
4. Supporting information and resource exchange between well-established HSR programs universities and research organizations that do not have large HSR faculties.
5. Providing continuing education for the field through online training to help promote exchange of information between educators and employers across diverse backgrounds and improve the skills base of researchers working in the area of disparities research;
6. Tracking trends in participation in HSR and disseminating findings to the field.

Previous projects in this area include a seminal report on racial/ethnic diversity in HSR (2004) as well as a paper on diversity in the field for the HSR Summit to Assess the Field's Workforce Needs. More recent projects include the HSR Consortium, the Minority Scholars Program, and the Disparities Research Webinar Series. Through these and other planned activities, AcademyHealth promotes the importance of diversity in the field and the contributions of minority researchers.

Sponsor/Funder/Partner

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• University of Maryland – Center for Health Equity
• National Collaborative for Health Equity  

Reports & Publications

The Future of Diversity and Inclusion in Health Services and Policy Research: A Report On The AcademyHealth Workforce Diversity
The imperative for diversity stems not only from the need to reflect the changing demographics in the U.S population, but also from a need to ensure that the best talent from all backgrounds feels at home in health services research (HSR), contributes to a vibrant community of evidence producers and users, and advances the production and use of the evidence we need to improve health and the performance of learning health systems. This report highlights recommendations from the expert panel that encouraged AcademyHealth to provide national leadership to promote workforce diversity and inclusion in the field of HSR. 

Training & Resources

• ARM Opening Plenary – Race, Ethnicity, and Health: The Role of Research
  The opening plenary at the 2016 Annual Research Meeting examined the many ways that health services and policy research (HSR) can and should address questions of race and ethnicity to inform policy and practice and ultimately improve health and the performance of the health system.
   
• 2015 Meeting of Members Webinar: "The Future of Diversity and Inclusion in Health Services and Policy Research"
  To provide AcademyHealth members with a unique glimpse of the year ahead—based on the progress made thus far in 2015—a few of AcademyHealth’s Board of Directors members and staff convened for the annual Meeting of Members webinar. In 2015, speakers reflected on the 2015 report, “The Future of Diversity and Inclusion in Health Services and Policy Research: A Report on the AcademyHealth Workforce Diversity 2025 Roundtable,” as well as report on the organization’s membership, finances, and operations.
   
• Findings From Our Fellows: Current Population Health-Focused Disparities Research - Part I
  In this two-part webinar series, nine Fellows from the AcademyHealth/Aetna Foundation Scholars in Residence Fellowship Program presented their preliminary research findings on population health-focused disparities research. The series provided information on disparities research pertaining to topics related to cardiovascular disease, mental health services research, depression, obesity, cancer, health behavior, pregnancy and birth outcomes, and more.
   
• Findings From Our Fellows: Current Population Health-Focused Disparities Research - Part II
  In this two-part webinar series, nine Fellows from the AcademyHealth/Aetna Foundation Scholars in Residence Fellowship Program presented their preliminary research findings on population health-focused disparities research. The series provided information on disparities research pertaining to topics related to cardiovascular disease, mental health services research, depression, obesity, cancer, health behavior, pregnancy and birth outcomes, and more.

Pilots & Programs

AcademyHealth Diversity Scholars Network
The AcademyHealth Diversity Scholars Network provides travel and registration support for five scholars to attend the Annual Research Meeting (ARM), pre-ARM Methods Workshops, and an Interest Group (IG) meeting of the scholar's choice. The goal of the Network is to support the professional development of underrepresented racial/ethnic minority groups in the field of health services research (HSR).

AcademyHealth/Aetna Foundation Scholars in Residence Fellowship Program
The AcademyHealth/Aetna Foundation Scholars in Residence Fellowship is designed to retain underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities* in health services research by providing professional training and networking activities for junior and mid-career level academics and clinical practitioners, who are conducting disparities research with a focus on population health.