Society of Family Planning Research Practice Support: Strategies and considerations for addressing race and racism in quantitative family planning studies

Abstract

Objectives: Family planning researchers have not critically engaged with topics of race, racism, and associated concepts like ethnicity. This lack of engagement contributes to the reproduction of research that reifies racial hierarchies rather than illuminate and interrupt the processes by which racism affects health. This Research Practice Support paper lays out considerations and best practices for addressing race and racism in quantitative family planning research.

Study design: We are scholars with racialized identities and expertise in racial health equity in family planning research. We draw from scholarship and guidance across disciplines to examine common shortcomings in the use and analysis of race and racism and propose practices for rigorous use of these concepts in quantitative family planning research.

Results: We recommend articulating the role of race and racism in the development of the research question, authorship and positionality, study design, data collection, analytic approach, and interpretation of analyses. Definitions of relevant concepts and additional resources are provided.

Conclusions: Family planning and racism are inextricably linked. Failing to name and analyze the pathways through which structural racism affects family planning, and the people who need or want to plan if, when, or how to become pregnant or parent may reproduce harmful and incorrect beliefs about the causes of health inequities and the attributes of Black, Indigenous, and other people racialized as non-White. Family planning researchers should critically study racism and race with procedures grounded in appropriate and articulated theory, evidence, and analytic approaches.

Implications: Family planning research can better contribute to efforts to eliminate racialized health inequities and avoid perpetuating harmful beliefs and conceptualizations of race by ensuring that they study race and racism with procedures grounded in appropriate and articulated theory, evidence, and analytic approaches.

Keywords: Family planning research; Race; Racism; Reproductive health; Structural racism; White supremacy.