International Journal for Equity in Health (Mar 2023)
Improving social justice in observational studies: protocol for the development of a global and Indigenous STROBE-equity reporting guideline
- Sarah Funnell,
- Janet Jull,
- Lawrence Mbuagbaw,
- Vivian Welch,
- Omar Dewidar,
- Xiaoqin Wang,
- Miranda Lesperance,
- Elizabeth Ghogomu,
- Anita Rizvi,
- Elie A. Akl,
- Marc T. Avey,
- Alba Antequera,
- Zulfiqar A. Bhutta,
- Catherine Chamberlain,
- Peter Craig,
- Luis Gabriel Cuervo,
- Alassane Dicko,
- Holly Ellingwood,
- Cindy Feng,
- Damian Francis,
- Regina Greer-Smith,
- Billie-Jo Hardy,
- Matire Harwood,
- Janet Hatcher-Roberts,
- Tanya Horsley,
- Clara Juando-Prats,
- Mwenya Kasonde,
- Michelle Kennedy,
- Tamara Kredo,
- Alison Krentel,
- Elizabeth Kristjansson,
- Laurenz Langer,
- Julian Little,
- Elizabeth Loder,
- Olivia Magwood,
- Michael Johnson Mahande,
- G. J. Melendez-Torres,
- Ainsley Moore,
- Loveline Lum Niba,
- Stuart G. Nicholls,
- Miriam Nguilefem Nkangu,
- Daeria O. Lawson,
- Ekwaro Obuku,
- Patrick Okwen,
- Tomas Pantoja,
- Jennifer Petkovic,
- Mark Petticrew,
- Kevin Pottie,
- Tamara Rader,
- Jacqueline Ramke,
- Alison Riddle,
- Larissa Shamseer,
- Melissa Sharp,
- Bev Shea,
- Peter Tanuseputro,
- Peter Tugwell,
- Janice Tufte,
- Erik Von Elm,
- Hugh Sharma Waddington,
- Harry Wang,
- Laura Weeks,
- George Wells,
- Howard White,
- Charles Shey Wiysonge,
- Luke Wolfenden,
- Taryn Young
Affiliations
- Sarah Funnell
- Department of Family Medicine, Queen’s University
- Janet Jull
- School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen’s University
- Lawrence Mbuagbaw
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University
- Vivian Welch
- Bruyère Research Institute, Bruyère Continuing Care and University of Ottawa
- Omar Dewidar
- Bruyère Research Institute, Bruyère Continuing Care and University of Ottawa
- Xiaoqin Wang
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care, McMaster University
- Miranda Lesperance
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa
- Elizabeth Ghogomu
- Bruyère Research Institute, Bruyère Continuing Care and University of Ottawa
- Anita Rizvi
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa
- Elie A. Akl
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University
- Marc T. Avey
- Canadian Council on Animal Care
- Alba Antequera
- International Health Department, ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona
- Zulfiqar A. Bhutta
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children
- Catherine Chamberlain
- Indigenous Health Equity Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne
- Peter Craig
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow
- Luis Gabriel Cuervo
- Unit of Health Services and Access, Department of Health Systems and Services, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO)
- Alassane Dicko
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako
- Holly Ellingwood
- Department of Psychology, Department of Law, Carleton University
- Cindy Feng
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University
- Damian Francis
- School of Health and Human Performance, Georgia College
- Regina Greer-Smith
- Healthcare Research Associates, LLC/S.T.A.R. Initiative
- Billie-Jo Hardy
- Well Living House, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, University of Toronto
- Matire Harwood
- General Practice and Primary Healthcare, University of Auckland
- Janet Hatcher-Roberts
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Knowledge Translation and Health Technology Assessment in Health Equity
- Tanya Horsley
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
- Clara Juando-Prats
- Applied Health Research Center, St. Michael’s Hospital
- Mwenya Kasonde
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
- Michelle Kennedy
- School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle
- Tamara Kredo
- Centre for Evidence Based Health Care, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University
- Alison Krentel
- Bruyère Research Institute, Bruyère Continuing Care and University of Ottawa
- Elizabeth Kristjansson
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa
- Laurenz Langer
- Africa Centre for Evidence, University of Johannesburg
- Julian Little
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa
- Elizabeth Loder
- The BMJ
- Olivia Magwood
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa
- Michael Johnson Mahande
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College
- G. J. Melendez-Torres
- University of Exeter College of Medicine and Health
- Ainsley Moore
- Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University
- Loveline Lum Niba
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Bamenda
- Stuart G. Nicholls
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
- Miriam Nguilefem Nkangu
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa
- Daeria O. Lawson
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University
- Ekwaro Obuku
- College of Health Sciences, Makerere University College of Health Sciences
- Patrick Okwen
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Bamenda
- Tomas Pantoja
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Pontifica Universidad Católica de Chile
- Jennifer Petkovic
- Bruyère Research Institute, Bruyère Continuing Care and University of Ottawa
- Mark Petticrew
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Kevin Pottie
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa
- Tamara Rader
- Freelance Health Research Librarian
- Jacqueline Ramke
- International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
- Alison Riddle
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa
- Larissa Shamseer
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
- Melissa Sharp
- Health Research Board Centre for Primary Care Research, Department of General Practice, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
- Bev Shea
- Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University
- Peter Tanuseputro
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
- Peter Tugwell
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa
- Janice Tufte
- Hassanah Consulting
- Erik Von Elm
- Cochrane Switzerland, Centre for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne
- Hugh Sharma Waddington
- London International Development Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
- Harry Wang
- Bruyère Research Institute, Bruyère Continuing Care and University of Ottawa
- Laura Weeks
- Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health
- George Wells
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa
- Howard White
- Campbell Collaboration
- Charles Shey Wiysonge
- Centre for Evidence Based Health Care, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University
- Luke Wolfenden
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council
- Taryn Young
- Centre for Evidence Based Health Care, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-023-01854-1
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 22,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 14
Abstract
Abstract Background Addressing persistent and pervasive health inequities is a global moral imperative, which has been highlighted and magnified by the societal and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Observational studies can aid our understanding of the impact of health and structural oppression based on the intersection of gender, race, ethnicity, age and other factors, as they frequently collect this data. However, the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guideline, does not provide guidance related to reporting of health equity. The goal of this project is to develop a STROBE-Equity reporting guideline extension. Methods We assembled a diverse team across multiple domains, including gender, age, ethnicity, Indigenous background, disciplines, geographies, lived experience of health inequity and decision-making organizations. Using an inclusive, integrated knowledge translation approach, we will implement a five-phase plan which will include: (1) assessing the reporting of health equity in published observational studies, (2) seeking wide international feedback on items to improve reporting of health equity, (3) establishing consensus amongst knowledge users and researchers, (4) evaluating in partnership with Indigenous contributors the relevance to Indigenous peoples who have globally experienced the oppressive legacy of colonization, and (5) widely disseminating and seeking endorsement from relevant knowledge users. We will seek input from external collaborators using social media, mailing lists and other communication channels. Discussion Achieving global imperatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., SDG 10 Reduced inequalities, SDG 3 Good health and wellbeing) requires advancing health equity in research. The implementation of the STROBE-Equity guidelines will enable a better awareness and understanding of health inequities through better reporting. We will broadly disseminate the reporting guideline with tools to enable adoption and use by journal editors, authors, and funding agencies, using diverse strategies tailored to specific audiences.
Keywords
