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. 2021 Aug;17(1):17-24.
doi: 10.12927/hcpol.2021.26582.

Building Equitable Patient Partnerships during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Key Considerations for Research and Policy

Ambreen Sayani  1 , Alies Maybee  2 , Jackie Manthorne  3 , Erika Nicholson  4 , Gary Bloch  5 , Janet A Parsons  6 , Stephen W Hwang  7 , Aisha Lofters  8
Affiliations

Building Equitable Patient Partnerships during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Key Considerations for Research and Policy

Ambreen Sayani et al. Healthc Policy. 2021 Aug.

Abstract
in English, French

The unequal social and economic burden of the COVID-19 pandemic is evident in racialized and low-income communities across Canada. Importantly, social inequities have not been adequately addressed and current public policies are not reflective of the needs of diverse populations. Public participation in decision-making is crucial and there is, therefore, a pressing need to increase diversity of representation in patient partnerships in order to prevent the further exclusion of socially marginalized groups from research and policy making. Deliberate effort and affirmative action are needed to meaningfully engage and nurture diverse patient partnerships by broadening the scope of the patient community to include excluded or underrepresented individuals or groups. This will help us co-develop ways to enhance access and equity in healthcare and prevent the systematic reproduction of structural inequalities that have already been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Le fardeau socioéconomique inégal de la pandémie de COVID-19 est manifeste dans les communautés racialisées et à faible revenu du Canada. Il y a donc un besoin urgent d'accroître la diversité de la représentation dans les partenariats avec les patients afin d'éviter que les groupes socialement marginalisés se trouvent exclus de la recherche et de l'élaboration des politiques. Des efforts délibérés et une action positive sont nécessaires pour entretenir de manière significative les partenariats avec la diversité, et ce, en élargissant la communauté des patients pour y inclure des individus ou des groupes exclus ou sous-représentés. Cela aidera à développer conjointement des moyens pour améliorer l'équité et l'accès aux soins de santé. Cet engagement garantira que la réponse du système de santé canadien à la pandémie reflète une représentation inclusive et équitable des voix des patients, tout en empêchant la reproduction systématique des inégalités structurelles déjà exacerbées par la pandémie de COVID-19.

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