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

Popay, J. and Chekar, C.K. and Griffiths, A. and Halliday, E. and Kaloudis, H. and Leiper, R. and Panagaki, K. and Porroche-Escudero, A. (2023) Strengthening the equity focus of applied public health research:introducing the FOR EQUITY platform. Public Health, 215. pp. 12-16. ISSN 0033-3506

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