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Strengthening the equity focus of applied public health research: introducing the FOR EQUITY platform

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>28/02/2023
<mark>Journal</mark>Public Health
Volume215
Number of pages5
Pages (from-to)12-16
Publication StatusPublished
Early online date4/01/23
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Objectives: Much applied health research pays insufficient attention to potential unequal impacts across social groups or is typically focused on a single dimension (e.g. socio-economic status), rarely considering the intersecting social processes driving inequalities (e.g. racism, sexism, classism). All health research needs a strong intersectional equity focus in order to inform action to reduce health inequalities as well as improve population health. Study design: Focus On Research and Equity (FOR EQUITY) is a new Web-based platform aiming to strengthen the intersectional equity focus of applied health research. Methods: The platform was developed in collaboration with members of the public, practitioners and researchers working internationally. The development involved a systematic review of academic and grey literature, a series of workshops and user testing. Results: FOR EQUITY encompasses (1) a Health Inequalities Assessment Tool, with an intersectional perspective on inequalities; (2) a FOR EQUITY Guidance Inventory providing access to a range of international research toolkits and guidance; and (3) a FOR EQUITY Library including case studies illustrating how researchers have attempted to integrate an equity lens into the research process and more general resources on health inequalities. Conclusion: FOR EQUITY can support researchers to strengthen the equity lens in their studies to make research evidence more relevant for action to reduce social and health inequalities. However, a single focus on toolkits is unlikely to sufficiently address the barriers to embedding equity in research. A mainstreaming strategy to transform the very roots of the ‘institution of research’ is required. © 2022