Scoping review: studies involving different populations in radiation science and emergency preparedness

This review aims to understand what factors have been historically considered in studies related to radiological science and emergency preparedness to identify gaps in the fields and opportunities for future research.

2,457 unique radiation science publications and clinical studies (published from 1959 through June 2024), which included keywords to identify work investigating different study populations, were identified across 3 databases. 578 studies remained following 2 rounds of screening and each received descriptive tags. 319 of these studies were included for full-text review, where extensive limited- and free-text fields were extracted.

Analysis of study tags showed that while sex was considered in 83% of the reviewed studies, other demographic factors were poorly represented. Furthermore, many of the tagged studies were not deemed appropriate for full-text analysis despite having an appropriate population, representing data under-collection and underutilization. Studies completed by United States-affiliated authors were significantly different than those from other countries (e.g., more pre-clinical research and less human subjects research), providing insight into the regional motivations behind radiological science and emergency preparedness research.

Studies in radiological science and emergency preparedness are published at a higher rate now than ever before. While newer studies are increasingly likely to consider the impact of demographic factors like sex and race, data under-collection and underutilization represent lost opportunities. When applicable, researchers should aim to consider demographic factors when designing studies and collecting and analyzing data, while funding agencies should consider key gaps and whether proposed works can address these gaps.