An Academic-Community Research Partnership to Enhance Structural Competency for Health Equity

Abstract

Scholars have begun to call for more formalized training of clinicians in “structural competency” as a way to address health inequities. Existing programs tend to focus on physicians. This continuing education program brought together a diverse group of academics and community partners to provide a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to structural competency training. The objective of this article is to outline the processes and procedures utilized to address structural determinants of health in a collaborative, community-based participatory research model. Study participants attended 12 weekly, two-hour seminars and completed electronic pre/post-knowledge surveys and a program evaluation form. The principal investigator and a graduate student reviewed open-ended survey responses using a grounded theory approach and summarized findings using narrative and descriptive statistics. Participants demonstrated an increased understanding of the distinction between structural competency and the social determinants of health. The program also led to successful collaborations on two research proposals. Even though structural determinants of health are distinct from the social determinants of health, many clinicians are unfamiliar with these distinctions. Working with an interdisciplinary team that includes community partnerships and individuals with diverse non-clinical areas of expertise can help healthcare professionals better understand these distinctions and how they influence patient outcomes. A multidisciplinary structural competency course can improve practical understanding of the structural determinants of health through an engaged community partnership platform.

Keywords:

• Structural competency
• interprofessional education
• academic/community research partnerships

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the community partners and other session participants who contributed to the success of this pilot program.

Disclosure Statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

Support for this project was provided through internal funding from the Rutgers Biomedical and Health Services—Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Advocacy innovation grant program.

Notes on contributors

Ann D. Bagchi

Ann D. Bagchi completed her doctoral degree in sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1999 and her clinical doctorate as a family nurse practitioner at Rutgers University in 2017. Her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project examined barriers to routine HIV screening among primary care providers. Her areas of expertise reflect her commitment to applying research in the advancement of social justice and include health-related stigma, routine HIV testing in primary care, telehealth services for members of underserved populations, and language barriers in health care.

Elise Corasmin

Elise Corasmin is a PhD student in the School of Nursing at Rutgers University and works as a clinical nurse leader for University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey.

Charles E. Menifield

Charles E. Menifield is Dean of the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark. His research interests lie primarily in the areas of budgeting and financial management, public health and welfare, and minority politics. Other areas include public management information systems, education finance, and public administration education.

Paul F. Weber

Paul F. Weber is Associate Dean for Continuing Medical Education at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and is an American Medical Association (AMA) Health Systems Science (HSS) Academy Co-Mentor & 2020 Scholar with interests in health systems science/healthcare policy and medical innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology.

Alok Baveja

Alok Baveja is a Professor of Supply Chain Management at the Rutgers Business School. His expertise is in the use of innovative modeling and technologies for managing operations in the public and private sectors.

Kasny Damas

Kasny Damas is a PhD student in the School of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers University–Newark, with an interest in advancing equity in digital public services.

Diane Hill

Diane Hill is the Assistant Chancellor for University-Community Partnerships at Rutgers University–Newark, with over 30 years of experience in leadership positions. For over 15 years Dr. Hill has administered the Office of University-Community Partnerships (OUCP) which serves as the nexus that connects Rutgers University–Newark students, faculty, and staff to expand, create, and promote reciprocal and mutually beneficial partnerships that support and align with the university’s strategic engagement priorities.

Dwight Peavy

Dwight Peavy is a community activist with the Coalition to End Stigma and Discrimination, who works in the greater Newark area to enhance health equity for members of underserved populations.