Respecting Diversity: The Equitable Language Cheat Sheet for Healthcare Research

In a statement, Dr. Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda emphasized the importance of respecting individual preferences for identification when collaborating with diverse populations in research. The Equitable Language Cheat Sheet serves as a valuable tool for researchers and partners who may not have direct input from the communities they are working with, providing essential guidelines for communication.

The cheat sheet covers preferred terminology for various identities, including age, race and ethnicity, gender, differing abilities, drug/substance abuse, underserved populations, and partners and populations of focus. It aims to promote respectful and inclusive language in research and foster a more equitable approach to healthcare. The Health Equity Core not only offers guidance on language use but also provides direction on integrating a health equity perspective in pragmatic clinical research. The Core works to identify barriers to achieving health equity in research and develops strategies and tools to promote a more inclusive approach in pragmatic trials.