Keynote 2 – Closing the divide: inclusive research in tackling health inequalities

Link to EAHP Statements
Section 1 – Introductory Statements and Governance: Statements – 1.1
Section 4 – Clinical Pharmacy: Statements – 4.8
Section 6 – Education and Research: Statement Statements – 6.4, 6.5

Abstract
Health disparities, particularly among socio-economically deprived and ethnic minority communities, are a persistent challenge in healthcare. Such populations are often disproportionately affected by health crises and remain under-represented in clinical research, including clinical trials involving medicines. Inclusive and representative research is essential to addressing health inequities and ensuring that healthcare interventions are effective for all segments of the population, to enable the findings of research to benefit all of our patients with a particular condition.
Strategies for Inclusive Research
To ensure that clinical trials are representative and inclusive, several key strategies can be adopted:
– Community Partnerships
– Culturally Tailored Outreach
– Institutional Collaboration
– Targeted Recruitment
The Importance of Long-Term Investment
For clinical trials to be equitable and inclusive, these strategies must be supported by long-term investment and institutional backing. Recruitment initiatives targeting under-represented communities should be embedded into research frameworks from the start, ensuring that diverse populations are consistently included. Collaboration across sectors—between community organisations, healthcare providers, and academic institutions—will be key to sustaining these efforts.

Learning objectives 
After the session, the participant should be able to:
– Describe the health inequalities exacerbated by research inequity
– Explain the strategies that can increase inclusive research
– Compare different strategies to increase recruitment of participants from underserved communities.

Educational need addressed
– Health inequalities exacerbated by research inequity
– Strategies for inclusive research
– Targeted recruitment
– Sustainable change
– Inclusive research advances health equity

Keywords
Clinical Trials, Cultural Diversity, Evidence-based Medicine, Inter-professional Collaborative Practice, Research, Community outreach, Research equity