Action against inequalities: a synthesis of social justice & equity, diversity, inclusion frameworks.

Publisher: BioMed Central Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101147692 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1475-9276 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 14759276 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Int J Equity Health Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: [London] : BioMed Central, 2002-

Social Justice*; Humans ; Cultural Diversity ; Health Equity ; Health Status Disparities ; Health Inequities

Inequalities in health have long been recognized as interconnected with social, economic, and various other inequalities. The application of social justice and equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI) frameworks may help expand interdisciplinary perspectives in addressing inequalities. This review study conducted an environmental scan for existing syntheses of theories, models, and frameworks (TMFs) relevant to the social justice and EDI. Results from Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and MEDLINE retrieved an existing implementation science framework intently centered upon health inequalities, and draws from a synthesis of postcolonial theory, reflexivity, intersectionality, structural violence, and governance theory. Given this high degree of relevance to the objective of this review, the framework was selected as a basis for expanded synthesis. Subsequent processes sought to identify social justice TMFs which could be integrated into the base framework selected, as well as to refine scope of the study. Based upon considerations of level of evidence and non-tokenistic integration, the following social justice and EDI TMFs were identified: John Rawls' theory of justice; Amartya Sen's Capabilities Approach; Iris Marion Young's theories of justice; Paulo Freire's critical consciousness; and critical race theory (CRT). The focus of the synthesis performed was scoped towards minimizing potential harms arising from actions intending to reduce inequalities. EDI considerations were not collated into a singular construct, but rather extended as a separate component assessing inequitable distribution of risks and benefits given population heterogeneity. Reflexive analysis amended the framework with two key decisions: first, the integration of environmental justice into a single construct, which helps to inform Rawls' and Sen's TMFs; second, a temporal element of sequential-analysis was employed over a unified output. The result of synthesis consists of a three-component framework which: (1) presents sixteen constructs drawn from selected TMFs, to consider various harms or potential reinforcement of existing inequalities; (2) aims to de-invisibilize marginalized groups who are noted to experience inequitable outcomes, and acknowledges the presence of individuals belonging to multiple groups; and (3) synthesizes seven considerations related to equitable dissemination and evaluation as drawn from TMFs, separated for sequential analysis after assessment of harms.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)

N Engl J Med. 1999 May 20;340(20):1587-90. (PMID: 10332025)
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2002 Sep;56(9):647-52. (PMID: 12177079)
Int J Equity Health. 2017 Feb 21;16(1):26. (PMID: 28219429)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 14;19(24):. (PMID: 36554687)
N Engl J Med. 1996 Sep 12;335(11):783-9. (PMID: 8703183)
Work. 2020;65(2):235-246. (PMID: 32007967)
Lancet. 2018 Jun 30;391(10140):2589-2591. (PMID: 30070211)
Mol Autism. 2017 Mar 17;8:13. (PMID: 28331572)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016 Jun 18;13(6):. (PMID: 27322303)
Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2017 Mar;40(1):1-13. (PMID: 28159137)
Int J Equity Health. 2020 May 25;19(1):76. (PMID: 32450868)
J Hum Lact. 2018 Nov;34(4):799-803. (PMID: 30040908)
Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2022 Dec;7(12):1235-1241. (PMID: 36038046)
Soc Sci Med. 2022 Jan;292:114523. (PMID: 34785096)
Eval Health Prof. 2015 Mar;38(1):53-8. (PMID: 23970431)
Scand J Caring Sci. 2016 Dec;30(4):662-669. (PMID: 27074869)
Int J Equity Health. 2020 Oct 15;19(1):182. (PMID: 33059674)
BMC Med Educ. 2024 Jan 3;24(1):5. (PMID: 38172809)
PLoS Med. 2006 Oct;3(10):e449. (PMID: 17076568)
Pediatrics. 2021 May;147(5):. (PMID: 33875536)
BMJ Qual Saf. 2016 Aug;25(8):626-32. (PMID: 26993640)
Methods Inf Med. 2003;42(3):220-5. (PMID: 12874653)
Soc Sci Med. 2010 Jan;70(1):121-9. (PMID: 19880233)
J Econ Perspect. 2019;33(1):185-208. (PMID: 30707005)
Lancet Neurol. 2014 Mar;13(3):330-8. (PMID: 24556010)
Fam Pract. 2017 Jun 1;34(3):290-295. (PMID: 27660557)
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2003 Aug 22-Oct 10;66(16-19):1507-51. (PMID: 12959828)
Environ Pollut. 2017 Aug;227:596-605. (PMID: 28457735)
N Engl J Med. 2004 Jan 8;350(2):198-9. (PMID: 14711928)
Lancet. 2017 Apr 8;389(10077):1453-1463. (PMID: 28402827)
BMC Fam Pract. 2015 Nov 24;16:171. (PMID: 26597934)
Soc Work. 2009 Apr;54(2):107-16. (PMID: 19366159)
J Appl Psychol. 2023 Jun 08;:. (PMID: 37289529)
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2007 Jun;61(6):473-8. (PMID: 17496254)
J Trauma Stress. 2003 Apr;16(2):159-66. (PMID: 12699203)
Adv Pract Nurs Q. 1998 Fall;4(2):53-8. (PMID: 9874951)
Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2007 Dec;41 Spec No:765-70. (PMID: 20608374)
J Adv Nurs. 2012 Apr;68(4):948-58. (PMID: 22032609)
Int J Equity Health. 2016 Sep 30;15(1):163. (PMID: 27716235)
J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2022 Jul;35(4):921-934. (PMID: 33650290)
Health Expect. 2015 Oct;18(5):1151-66. (PMID: 23731468)
Int J Equity Health. 2021 Feb 2;20(1):53. (PMID: 33531018)
Int J Equity Health. 2023 Sep 5;22(1):183. (PMID: 37670373)
J Adv Nurs. 2018 May;74(5):1051-1058. (PMID: 29098709)
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2005 Apr;59(4):260-4. (PMID: 15767376)
Environ Health Perspect. 2011 Aug;119(8):1189-95. (PMID: 21507776)
Health Educ Behav. 2021 Jun;48(3):306-319. (PMID: 34080471)
Environ Sci Technol. 2013 May 21;47(10):4967-83. (PMID: 23590191)
Arch Sex Behav. 2015 Jul;44(5):1177-213. (PMID: 25772652)
Science. 2023 Aug 11;381(6658):636-641. (PMID: 37561878)
Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol. 2021 Apr;65(5):631-643. (PMID: 33251882)
Palliat Med. 2021 Apr;35(4):636-650. (PMID: 33706600)
Int J Equity Health. 2012 Oct 13;11:59. (PMID: 23061433)
Int J Equity Health. 2017 Feb 21;16(1):17. (PMID: 28219386)
Int Rev Vict. 2023 Jan;29(1):16-26. (PMID: 36644331)
Physiol Behav. 2010 Feb 9;99(2):260-8. (PMID: 19758571)
Palliat Support Care. 2009 Dec;7(4):501-12. (PMID: 19939313)
Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2006;12(1):70-82. (PMID: 16435327)
HEC Forum. 2004 Dec;16(4):274-83. (PMID: 15672701)
Ir J Psychol Med. 2007 Mar;24(1):3-4. (PMID: 30290496)
Int J Equity Health. 2021 May 21;20(1):123. (PMID: 34020674)
Implement Sci. 2011 Apr 23;6:42. (PMID: 21513547)
Int J Equity Health. 2014 Oct 19;13:92. (PMID: 25326227)
Environ Res. 2022 May 15;208:112701. (PMID: 35016863)
Int J Epidemiol. 2015 Feb;44(1):345-54. (PMID: 25604449)
Am J Bioeth. 2011 Dec;11(12):32-40. (PMID: 22146029)
Int J Equity Health. 2019 Nov 14;18(1):174. (PMID: 31727076)
J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2016;27(2A):1-4. (PMID: 27133507)
Am J Occup Ther. 2009 Jan-Feb;63(1):81-8. (PMID: 19192730)
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2016 Jul;57(7):851-60. (PMID: 26989990)
J Interpers Violence. 2018 Mar;33(5):810-831. (PMID: 29295007)
Environ Int. 2021 Jan;146:106202. (PMID: 33120230)
Eur J Public Health. 2010 Feb;20(1):21-6. (PMID: 20061348)
Transl Behav Med. 2021 Aug 13;11(8):1617-1625. (PMID: 33904908)
Int J Equity Health. 2022 Feb 8;21(1):17. (PMID: 35135553)
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2008 Mar 1;47 Suppl 1:S40-6. (PMID: 18301133)
Int J Equity Health. 2015 Nov 30;14:129. (PMID: 26616532)

Keywords: Action research; Community; Ethics; Intersectionality; Marginalization; Participation; Practice; Representation; Social determinants of health; Theories models & frameworks

Date Created: 20240523 Date Completed: 20240524 Latest Revision: 20240526

20240526

PMC11119020

10.1186/s12939-024-02141-3

38783319