Capturing More Voices: A Penn Team’s Push to Make Research More Inclusive

“Research is a driving force of medical progress—but is it truly inclusive of the voices and experiences of those it seeks to help? 

The way research is conducted can often leave out important voices, like people from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds, those who speak languages other than English, or those with limited literacy. Rachel Kohn, MD, MSCE, an assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care and core faculty in Penn’s Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, is looking to change that.

Health care research, while indispensable for advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes, has long grappled with a glaring issue—the lack of diversity and inclusivity. ‘In health care, we aim to leave no one behind. But when certain demographics are excluded or marginalized in research, we’re failing to uphold that promise,’ said Kohn. A study led by Kohn, recently published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, addresses the underrepresentation and disparities prevalent in research practices.”

Read more at Penn Medicine News.