Global Insights on the Involvement of Ethnic Minority Populations in Health and Social Care Research Priority Setting: A Systematic Scoping Review

Abstract

Background Representing all population groups in health and social care research is essential for generating research relevant to decision making in everyday clinical and social healthcare policy and practice. Conducting research that is relevant to all, starts with ensuring equitable representation in research priority selection. This scoping review aimed to identify evidence of published and good practices in health and social care research priority-setting activities, which included people from ethnic minority backgrounds. Methods The search was conducted using MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guideline. Studies that reported including ethnic minority community members in health and social care research priority setting from 2010 were considered. The research priority processes were evaluated using a checklist of good practices in research priority settings. Findings Forty-seven articles representing 12 countries and various health topics were included. Group discussion was the most common approach for conducting the research priority setting activities. No study addressed all 20 recommended research priority–setting good practice principles. Most studies provided sufficient information about the context of the priority-setting exercise. Examples of good practices included community advisory boards, local approaches to health research, and multi-disciplinary steering groups. Conclusion Representation of ethnic minority populations’ involvement in research across different countries and broader health and social care areas is limited. Recommendations to address these challenges are presented and could help inform researchers, funders, and policymakers to understand what health and social care research topics are prioritised by ethnic minority communities.