Interventions addressing systemic racism in the US: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Equity Research
• Social Determinants of Health

Background:

• Systemic racism negatively impacts health in racial/ethnic minority groups.
• Effective interventions to mitigate these health inequities are not well-documented.
• Addressing systemic racism is crucial for achieving health equity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize U.S.-based interventions aimed at improving health equity by addressing systemic racism.
• To identify and classify different types of interventions targeting systemic racism.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review methodology was employed, adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
• Six major databases were searched for relevant intervention studies.
• A total of 172 articles were included in the synthesis.

Main Results:

• Interventions were categorized into five typologies: healing-centered approaches, community-based interventions, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, anti-racism training, and policy interventions.
• The review identified a range of strategies being implemented across the U.S.
• Diverse intervention types show potential for addressing systemic racism's health impacts.

Conclusions:

• Findings provide a comprehensive overview of current interventions targeting systemic racism and health equity.
• The review offers critical insights for developing, testing, and scaling effective interventions.
• Further research and implementation are needed to address health disparities caused by systemic racism.