TY - JOUR T1 - Tackling the lack of diversity in health research JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 444 LP - 447 DO - 10.3399/bjgp22X720665 VL - 72 IS - 722 AU - Ash Routen AU - Danielle Bodicoat AU - Andrew Willis AU - Shaun Treweek AU - Sandra Paget AU - Kamlesh Khunti Y1 - 2022/09/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/72/722/444.abstract N2 - High-quality health research is central to evidence-informed health care. By assessing evidence on treatments, initiatives, and different ways of delivering services and changing practice where appropriate, health outcomes are improved. But what if that evidence routinely ignores or forgets the needs and perspectives of many in our communities?This is not an abstract question. A survey of Wellcome Trust data found that people of White British ethnicity were 64% more likely than ethnic minority groups to have participated in health research, even when accounting for socioeconomic status, age, and sex.1,2 There has also been underrepresentation of ethnic minorities in COVID-19 research, including randomised trials of potential treatments, and vaccination and vaccine research,3 despite the greater COVID-19 burden experienced by ethnic minorities. In addition, communities such as older people,4 people with disabilities,5 women,6 precarious-status migrants,7 sexual minorities,8 and vulnerable populations (for example, sex workers,9 homeless10) are also under-represented (or their health needs are understudied) in health research.Under-served groups have been defined as people in society who are represented in health research at lower levels than would be expected from population estimates.11 These groups are often termed ‘hard to reach’, which may be related to a perceived difficulty in identifying and engaging with the target population or in some cases an unwillingness to engage. However, the reality is that under-served groups are not hard to reach but instead seldom approached or heard, either through ignorance, lack of resource, or existing methods in how health research is done and by whom.12 There are however some challenges to engagement with under-served groups, which may include vulnerability of participants and risk of participation (for example, a wish to remain hidden or concealed), mistrust of the research process (for example, historic mistreatment … ER -