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Wang ML, Poulin O, McKinney H. Aligning Employee Health and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives in the Workplace: A Call for Synchronization. Am J Health Promot 2024:8901171241233398. [PMID: 38411461 DOI: 10.1177/08901171241233398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Reports of burnout and poor mental health are at all-time highs among working U.S. adults. Simultaneously, failure to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is among the top characteristics of an unhealthy work culture and has contributed to high rates of employee attrition. Though many organizations across multiple sectors have made pledges to prioritize employee health and invest in DEI in recent years, few have explicitly addressed these two issues as interconnected. The link between the workplace as a determinant of mental and physical health is well-established. Several studies demonstrate that experiencing discrimination in the workplace is associated with detrimental physical and mental health outcomes. Additionally, the way work is structured directly and indirectly contributes to employee health inequities. In this commentary, we make the connection between employee health and organizational DEI and propose guiding principles to synchronize DEI and employee health initiatives in the workplace. These include: investing in DEI as a cornerstone for developing a healthy workforce for all; recognizing differences in employee experiences, needs, and their connection to health; prioritizing systemic approaches to promote employee health and organizational DEI. Embedding employee health and DEI efforts into broader organizational strategy is a crucial step towards fostering equitable practices that promote inclusive work environments andpositive employee well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica L Wang
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Olivia Poulin
- Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hannah McKinney
- Boston University Questrom School of Business, Boston, MA, USA
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Aysola J, Murdock HM, Lett E, Williams C, Wade R, Higginbotham EJ. Operationalizing inclusion: moving from an elusive goal to strategic action. Epidemiol Rev 2023; 45:140-145. [PMID: 37259471 DOI: 10.1093/epirev/mxad005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
To mitigate the structural and institutional biases that contribute to inequities in health, we need a diverse cadre of individuals to feel included and advance within our field in order to bring a multicultural set of perspectives to the studies we conduct, the science we generate, the health and academic systems we design, and the medical and scientific knowledge we impart. There has been increasing focus on diversity, inclusion, and equity in recent years; however, often these terms are presented without adequate precision and, therefore, the inability to effectively operationalize inclusion and achieve diversity within organizations. This narrative review details several key studies, with the primary objective of presenting a roadmap to guide defining, measuring, and operationalizing inclusion within work and learning environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaya Aysola
- Penn Medicine Center for Health Equity Advancement, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
- Office of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PA, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PA, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - H Moses Murdock
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Elle Lett
- Penn Medicine Center for Health Equity Advancement, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Corey Williams
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC 20007, United States
| | - Roy Wade
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PA, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
- Division of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19178, United States
| | - Eve J Higginbotham
- Office of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
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Fritz CD, Obuobi S, Peek ME, Vela MB. Cultivating Anti-Racism Allies in Academic Medicine. Health Equity 2023; 7:218-222. [PMID: 37096055 PMCID: PMC10122220 DOI: 10.1089/heq.2022.0024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Racial microaggressions, racially based remarks, or actions that negatively impact marginalized physicians of color (Black, Latino/a/x, and American Indian/Alaskan Natives) often go unaddressed. This article provides four strategies for how individuals and institutions can engage in anti-racism allyship: (1) be an upstander during microaggressions, (2) be a sponsor and advocate for physicians of color, (3) acknowledge academic titles and accomplishments, and (4) challenge the idea of a "standard fit" for academic faculty and research. Skills in academic allyship should be taught to all physicians throughout the educational continuum to mitigate feelings of isolation that racialized minority physicians frequently experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra D.L. Fritz
- Division of Gastroenterology, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Internal Medicine Residency Program, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Address correspondence to: Cassandra D.L. Fritz, MD, MPHS, Division of Gastroenterology, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Internal Medicine Residency Program, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8124, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Shirlene Obuobi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Monica E. Peek
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Chicago Center for Diabetes Translation Research, MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Monica B. Vela
- Department of Medicine, The Hispanic Center of Excellence, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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