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Medicine

 

Review Essays of Academic, Professional & Technical Books in the Humanities & Sciences

 

Diversity in Health Care Research: Strategies for Multisite, Multidisciplinary, and Multicultural Projects edited by Joellen W. Hawkins and Lois A. Haggerty (Springer Publishing Company) The new gold standard in health care research is conducting studies that are truly representative of the general population – and not limited to a narrow range of cultural, gender, geographic, or socioeconomic groups. Diversity in Health Care Research provides a how-to approach to planning, implementing, and conducting such studies.

The human genome has been completed. We now know that, from a biological perspective, we are almost identical, and that that race is a social construct, not a scientific classification. Yet, incredible disparities in health status continue to exist, many due to gender, race, ethnicity, education, income, disability, geo­graphic location, or sexual orientation. Since these disparities are not due to scientific classification, they may well be due to social classification and issues such as prejudice, discrimination, and lack of access to services.

In order to eliminate disparities and improve health status for all, it is important to understand the complex relationships that lead to these differences. It is, however, critically important to conduct this research in an atmosphere that is respectful of differences, and using research designs that are sensitive to cultural and economic issues among populations. The very nature of this type of work demands that it be conducted by investiga­tors with a variety of disciplinary perspectives, in a variety of settings, and among participants with a variety of backgrounds. Since each individual has a unique ethnic background and a specific disciplinary lens with which she or he views the world, the ability to be successful requires a special set of learned knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Contents include:

Part I – Strategies for Implementation

  1. Managing Multisite, Multidisciplinary, and Multiethnic Research Projects - Nancy W. Veeder
  2. Obtaining Funding - Mary E. Duffy
  3. Facilitating Passage Through the Institutional Maze - Joellen W. Hawkins, Cynthia S. Aber, and Loretta P. Higgins
  4. Utilizing Research Assistants - Ursula A. Kelly
  5. Special Considerations for Multicenter Research - Joyce M. Dwyer
  6. Managing the Multisite Team - Carole W. Pearce
  7. International Multisite Studies - Linda J. Mayberry, Anindya K. De, Eleanor L. Stevenson, and Dyanne D. Affonso

Part II – Lessons Learned From Specific Research Projects

  1. The Birthweight Study: Challenges of a Multisite, Multicultural Collaborative Research Endeavor - Jacquelyn C. Campbell, Doris Campbell, Sara Torres, Josephine Ryan, Christine King, and Patricia Price Lea
  2. Testing the Efficacy of an Intervention Directed Toward Family Caregivers of Cancer Patients: The Family Care Research Program - Sharon L. Kozachik, Barbara A. Given, and Charles W. Given
  3. The Women’s Health Initiative: Aspects of Management and Coordination - Barbara Cochrane, Bernedine Lund, Susan Anderson, and Ross Prentice
  4. The Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Consortium: Collaborations and Partnerships - Rachel F. Schiffman

Joellen W. Hawkins and Lois A. Haggerty, professors in the William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, have produced a masterful work that will assist researchers to develop the skills and sensitivities necessary for successful research. They and their contributors provide with a broad perspective that is both enlightening and pragmatic. Diversity in Health Care Research will help researchers anticipate and plan for the challenges of conducting research in several sites, from gaining entry to working with clinicians who have competing job responsibilities. Examples of multicultural, multisite studies conducted by multidisciplinary teams provide the reader with a wide range of projects that have successful outcomes. The authors of these chapters provide the pragmatics that demonstrate how the theoretical components come together in actual situations. The book will help us to understand and appreciate differences, celebrate our diversity, and work together to eliminate health care disparities and improve the health of all.

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