HELEN News

How can we use data to inform practices to advance health equity?

Authored by: Kyle R. MacDonald, Danielle Barrasse, and Myrela Bauman

Posted: June 28, 2021

In public health, much of our work depends on having accurate data, so we know what’s happening both on the ground and at a population level. Unfortunately, in many cases data has erased diversity by collapsing distinct groups of people into “convenient” categories for statistical purposes. This erasure frequently occurs when people from across the Americas are all labeled as Hispanic/Latinx, when hundreds of distinct tribal communities are all coded as American Indian, or when everyone who is not cis-gender or heterosexual is grouped together as LGBTQ+. Sometimes these groupings reflect coalitions amongst its members, and strength in numbers can lead to power to advocate for change. However, these data are superficial and generalize incredibly diverse communities. So, instead of perpetuating erasure or stereotypes for statistical convenience, how can data be used to advance equity?

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