Informing the GRADE evidence to decision process with health equity considerations: demonstration from the Canadian rheumatoid arthritis care context

Abstract

Objectives: Health equity is a priority for clinical and public health practice and promoted in GRADE's Evidence to Decision (EtD) Framework, yet there is still limited integration of specific equity considerations in chronic disease guideline development and implementation. Our objective was to embed equity considerations for upcoming Canadian Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment guidelines.

Study design and setting: In parallel with the Guidelines Committee process, considerations for six population groups (rural and remote residents, Indigenous Peoples, elderly persons with frailty, minority populations of first-generation immigrants and refugees, persons with low socioeconomic status or who are vulnerably housed, and sex and gender populations) based on literature reviews and key informant interviews were identified and contextualized to each step in the GRADE EtD framework.

Results: The EtD Framework domains relevant to rheumatoid arthritis treatment and management were analyzed through patient-centric, social determinant and economic lenses, while considering implementation feasibility. This determined tailored considerations relevant to recommendations for the priority populations to mitigate potential intervention-generated inequities.

Conclusion: This approach provides a demonstration of the process of incorporating equity in the evidence to decision process and can be applied in future rheumatic disease guidelines while also informing a research agenda for equity in rheumatology outcomes.

Keywords: Disease management; Equity; Health services implementation; Practice guidelines; Recommendations; Rheumatoid arthritis.