Introduction: There is growing interest among health sciences researchers in incorporating equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) principles into their work. However, there is a lack of established best practices. This knowledge gap poses a risk of harm, particularly for equity deserving communities. This study aimed to identify the needs of health sciences researchers conducting EDI-related research and to learn from their experiences.
Methods: This study used qualitative description through semi-structured interviews with health sciences researchers who self-identified as conducting EDI-related research or using an EDI lens in their research. Participants included faculty, staff, and students with diverse identities, experiences, and research areas. The interviews were transcribed then analyzed using conventional content analysis.
Results: Motivations for conducting EDI-related research were a mix of personal experiences and professional pressures. Participants avoided labeling themselves as “experts,” emphasizing the importance of lived experiences in their research. However, lived experience alone was not a substitute for formal research expertise; both were needed on research teams. Challenges included systemic pressures, representation issues, evolving terminology and landscape, emotional burdens, and bureaucratic barriers resisting and opposing EDI-related research. Early career researchers struggled with power dynamics in academia and finding supervision aligned with their interests and ethics. Participants shared valuable advice and resources to support higher-quality research including the creation of brave spaces for conversations around EDI to help alleviate the emotional burden on researchers, the importance of team-based approaches to ensure diverse perspectives and critical representation on research studies, and several ways EDI considerations can be embedded in educational and institutional processes. Conclusion: This study addresses the gap in formal EDI research education in the health sciences—an oversight that risks harmful research practices. The outcomes can be used to develop educational resources that promote critical thinking and best practices, thereby improving the quality and impact of health research. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Health sciences researchers are increasingly interested in incorporating equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) principles into their work, yet many lack the appropriate education. This knowledge gap poses risks, particularly for research involving equity- deserving communities. This thesis explores EDI adoption in health research using a qualitative descriptive approach. Researchers who self-identified as conducting EDI- related research or using an EDI lens participated in semi-structured interviews analyzed using conventional content analysis. Participants’ motivations involved personal experiences of inequity and professional pressures. The challenges they experienced included systemic pressures that can lead to tokenism and harmful research practices, evolving terminology and landscapes, emotional burdens, and bureaucratic resistance and opposition. By understanding advice and resources from current researchers, including better emotional and institutional support, this study takes a crucial first step toward improving EDI education among health sciences researchers. This effort aims to prevent harmful research practices, thereby improving the quality of health research.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/30240 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Howcroft, Kathleen |
| Contributors | Acai, Anita, Health Science Education |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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