Why Diversity in Health Research is Good Science and Good Business — June Collison
In the healthcare sector, diversity while conducting clinical trials is essential. Lack of diversity could lead to developing drugs that only work for a segment of the population. Additionally, it would also lead to ignoring the different “genetic, environmental, cultural and lifestyle factors” which play a crucial role in developing and treating medical conditions.
Recently, I read an article published by Forbes titled “Why Diversity In Health Research Is Good Science And Good Business”. Being a seasoned senior healthcare executive and a highly experienced diversity advocate myself, this article was an interesting read. The article discusses how meeting people and creating strong bonds using digital methods will act as a tool in portraying the ever-growing diversity and eventually be translated as improvements in healthcare.
Meeting People Where They Are
With new and pre-existing technologies, researchers can work and recruit participants remotely. For example, by phone or the computer. This can help in recruiting a more diverse participant pool with a minimal cost. These technologies can help reach the underrepresented groups who are often overlooked due to several factors “like where they live, their access to or comfort using technology, disabilities, job(s) and hours of employment.”
Building stronger bonds
Building strong bonds with the participants may be useful as it offers a personal touch that can encourage “participation and long-term engagement”. Additionally, researchers can form strong bonds with participants by “incorporating tools like algorithms into data collection technologies to detect changes in behaviors that may indicate someone is at risk of dropping out of a study.” This can help researchers to reach out to potential dropouts and address their concerns.
Big Changes, Big Rewards
With more diverse participants, the accuracy and reliability of medical treatments will increase, and there’s hope for a “positive, meaningful change”
In conclusion, “good representation means good science. Leaving any segment of our population out of health research is no longer acceptable or productive — a truth the global pandemic shed a stark light on.”
Read the original article here.
