Prioritizing Health Equity Research in Turbulent Times: A Collaborative Roundtable to Foster Dialogue Among Social Work Scholars

Integrating a health equity framework into social work research remains a critical priority for scholars pursuing research relevant to health and/or aging-centered social work practice and policy. The social determinants of health (SDOH) are at the root of health inequities affecting the marginalized populations social workers serve across healthcare and older adult focused settings. Social work scholars are well-poised to lead interdisciplinary efforts to adopt a health equity framework in research yet are increasingly hindered by the current sociopolitical climate in which the pursuit of health equity has been systematically de-prioritized and disenfranchised by federal funding bodies. In response to these challenges, it is critical for social work scholars to engage in collaborative reflection and problem-solving to support the continued pursuit of health equity focused scholarly work within this challenging funding environment. Most importantly, in a climate where it is increasingly unsafe for vulnerable populations to share their stories, it is essential that social work scholars determine how to advance critical research on marginalized groups without exposing these groups to further risk and harm. The central aim of this roundtable is to foster critical dialogue regarding practical and/or ethical challenges faced by social work scholars pursuing health equity research in this unprecedented sociopolitical moment. In this critical space, social work scholars will collectively explore strategies for upholding the ethical values of our profession as we pursue research on the social determinants of health in a research environment that increasingly devalues equity-based perspectives.

The five panelists bring a wealth of health equity focused research and practice experience to this critical discussion, with expertise spanning pediatric oncology, chronic disease and disability, and aging across the continuum of care. The roundtable will commence with two speakers briefly introducing a health equity framework to ensure that the subsequent discussion is based on a shared understanding of health equity, health inequities and the social determinants of health. Each speaker will then explain how health equity frames and undergirds their respective research agendas, proceeding on to share specific examples of how their scholarly work has been impacted by the current sociopolitical climate, including any strategies they have utilized to address these impacts. The organizer will encourage participants to ask questions or offer insights throughout each of the speaker's introductions. Next, the organizer will invite participants to engage in an open discussion regarding health equity research-related challenges and concerns, drawing on prepared prompts to facilitate reflection and collaborative problem-solving. At the close of the roundtable, participants will be encouraged to identify several next steps they will pursue to persist and prevail in their respective health equity research initiatives.