New Resource for Inclusive Language in Healthcare Research: Equitable Language Cheat Sheet by Dr. Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda

Dr. Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda, co-chair of the Health Equity Core in the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory, has developed a new resource aimed at guiding researchers on the use of inclusive language and terms when working with specific individuals, groups, and communities. The Equitable Language Cheat Sheet can be found on the Health Equity Core webpage and will be regularly updated to reflect evolving terminology and guidance.

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.

In a statement, Dr. Gonzalez-Guarda emphasized the importance of respecting individual preferences for identification when collaborating with diverse populations in research. The 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 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. The Equitable Language Cheat Sheet is part of the Core’s mission to address biases and advance health equity in research settings.

Researchers must prioritize using inclusive language when working with diverse populations to ensure that their work is respectful of all individuals’ identities. The Equitable Language Cheat Sheet provides essential guidelines for communication that can help promote respectful interactions with all participants involved in research projects.

Dr. Gonzalez-Guarda understands that it can be challenging for researchers who may not have direct input from the communities they are working with to use inclusive language correctly. That’s why she developed this cheat sheet as part of her work as co-chair of the Health Equity Core in the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory.

The cheat sheet covers many different types of identities that researchers should be aware of when working with diverse populations. These include age, race and ethnicity, gender identity, differing abilities, drug/substance abuse history, underserved populations, partners or populations of focus.

By using inclusive language correctly when working with these groups or communities, researchers can create more equitable approaches to healthcare that are sensitive to individual needs.

Overall, Dr. Gonzalez-Guarda’s work as co-chair of the Health Equity Core has helped promote more equitable approaches to healthcare by addressing biases and advancing health equity through pragmatic clinical research.