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Cited by 46Racial and Ethnic Identity ResearchHealth disparities and outcomesRace, Genetics, and Society

Structural racism theory, measurement, and methods: A scoping review

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Wien, Simone, Miller, Andres L., Kramer, Michael R.·2023·Frontiers in Public Health
DOI 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1069476PMC PMC9978828
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Abstract

Introduction: Epidemiologic and public health interest in structural racism has grown dramatically, producing both increasingly sophisticated questions, methods, and findings, coupled with concerns of atheoretical and ahistorical approaches that often leave the actual production of health or disease ambiguous. This trajectory raises concerns as investigators adopt the term “structural racism” without engaging with theories and scholars with a long history in this area. This scoping review aims to build upon recent work by identifying current themes about the incorporation of structural racism into (social) epidemiologic research and practice with respect to theory, measurement, and practices and methods for trainees and public health researchers who are not already deeply grounded in this work. Methods: This review uses methodological framework and includes peer-review articles written in English published between January 2000–August 2022. Results: A search of Google Scholar, manual collection, and referenced lists identified a total of 235 articles; 138 met the inclusion criteria after duplicates were removed. Results were extracted by, and organized into, three broad sections: theory, construct measurement, and study practice and methods, with several themes summarized in each section. Discussion: This review concludes with a summary of recommendations derived from our scoping review and a call to action echoing previous literature to resist an uncritical and superficial adoption of “structural racism” without attention to already existing scholarship and recommendations put forth by experts in the field.

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Authors
Wien, S., Miller, A. L., & Kramer, M. R.
Affiliations
Emory University (US)
Corresponding author
Wien, Simone
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Public Health
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2023-02-16
Volume
11
Pages
1069476-1069476
ISSN
2296-2565 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fpubh.2023.1069476
PMC
PMC9978828
OpenAlex
W4321087827
Cited by
46
References
145
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 5
FWCI
2.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
  • Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Race, Genetics, and Society
Keywords
structural racism, social epidemiology, construct measurement, research methodology, health disparities, racial disparities in health
MeSH terms
Humans, Public Health, Research Personnel, Writing, Racism

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