Developing inclusive, antiracist approaches to public health research: Guidelines for action

The pervasive influence of racism confers on all public health researchers-even those for whom health disparities research is not their focus-a social responsibility to conduct research that is antiracist (i.e. to adopt research approaches that actively oppose racism and promote equity). This manuscript reviews the relevant literature and provides guidance for conducting antiracist public health research specifically for researchers for whom health disparities research is not a focus of their work. Drawing on Critical Race Theory, we propose a preliminary framework for conducting antiracist research in the form of five overarching guidelines, which were developed in the United States based on the American experience, but can be tailored/adapted to country-specific/cultural contexts: I. Frame race as a social (not a biological) construct; II. Actively solicit input and participation from individuals who are racial and ethnic minorities; III. Choose terminology carefully and be mindful of its implications; IV. Incorporate measures of contextual factors that may influence health-related behaviors and outcomes; and V. Be intentional with choices of theoretical frameworks, study design, and analytic approaches. We summarize relevant literature and provide recommendations and key references for how to follow each guideline. We also discuss how research that does not attend to these guidelines unintentionally supports racist structures and provide examples of how each guideline applies to research on the 2019 Coronavirus pandemic. Following the guidelines in this manuscript, though not exhaustive, will allow researchers to contribute to an antiracist public health agenda in pursuit of health equity regardless of content focus.