A Systematized Review of Anti-Racism Data Legislation for Healthcare

Abstract

Background. Health disparities among racialized individuals and the general population have persisted throughout time. In response to global events highlighting these inequities, there have been increasing calls to collect race, ethnicity and Indigenous (REI) identity data to foster health equity. As part of this data collection, it is pivotal for organizations to ensure proper governance of this data to mitigate the potential for harm towards racialized communities. One way to safeguard this data is through the implementation of anti-racism data legislation for race-based data collected in the healthcare sector. Aim. The purpose of this study was to explore the current landscape of anti-racism data legislation for healthcare by answering the following research question: What is the justification for enacting anti-racism data legislation for race-based data collected in healthcare environments? Methods. A systematized review was conducted as it allows academic literature to be reviewed with minimal resources, while maintaining key elements of a systematic review. Results. After removing duplicates, 7625 articles underwent title and abstract screening, of which 18 articles were reviewed in full, resulting in the inclusion of one article. Implications. This study highlights the ongoing need for research centered on the benefits and challenges of implementing anti-racism data legislation for race-based data collection within healthcare, and can serve as a pilot for a larger systematic review. Keywords: anti-racism, race-based data collection, healthcare reform, legislation