Advancing health equity requires acknowledging and attending to inequities within the health policy and services research (HSPR) workforce. Although HSPR racial and ethnic diversity has been increasing, the profession still has considerable unfinished work: in 2021, Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous HSPRers accounted for 5.3%, 3.1%, and 0.3%, respectively, which is not representative of the US population. Similar to medicine, the lack of diversity in HSPR impacts the representation of research questions and topics, expertise and perspectives in decision-making, and evidence available to support policymaking that reflects a variety of lived experiences and/or community needs. The field has recognized the need to recruit and retain individuals from ethnoracial groups historically and structurally excluded and cultivate mentorship to ensure diverse representation in leadership. In 2020, we observed a nationwide acknowledgment of structural racism across the U.S. and increased efforts to shift DEI-related issues in workplaces and educational spaces following the murder of George Floyd, Jr.

To describe educational and workplace experiences that characterize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the HSPR profession. In this qualitative study, six focus groups were conducted virtually via Zoom with 27 individuals who reported working or pursuing higher education in HSPR from December 2020 to January 2021. We sought HSPRers perspectives on DEI initiatives, work and educational environments, experiences, and climate, and recommendations for improving DEI in HSPR. We developed a structured codebook and applied a deductive approach to conduct thematic analysis.

Of the 27 participants, nearly half of the participants identified as Black/African American (44%); most were women (81%). Three major themes emerged: (1) HSPR work and education spaces subject minoritized HSPRs to a range of exclusionary and harmful practices; (2) DEI initiatives fail to address the need for institutional change; and (3) by working with and for policymakers, HSPRs are uniquely subjected to shifting political contexts that reinforce racism.

Despite an increasing commitment to increasing the diversity of the HSPR workforce and improving equity and inclusion in the HSPR workplace, the findings suggest that more intentional and action-oriented work is needed, especially work that emphasizes inclusion and equity across various levels of the workplace. The findings offer critical insight on necessary workplace and educational reform to develop the workforce necessary to advance population health equity and equity-oriented policy making.