Five ways to get a grip on embedding Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility into survey design for non-equity related health professions education research topics

Authors

Abstract

Health professions education research must integrate Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) principles to ensure meaningful and impactful initiatives. Embedding these principles into research methods from the outset helps maintain the integrity of the research and ensures its outcomes align with EDIA values. Recognizing the limited guidance on incorporating EDIA principles into non-equity-related HPE survey methodology, we developed guidelines to address this gap. This led to the creation of ‘Five Ways to Get a Grip on Embedding EDIA into Survey Design for non-equity related Health Professions Education Research,’ which includes guidelines for integrating (1) diverse sources of knowledge, (2) usability, (3) context sensitivity, (4) bidirectionality, and (5) accessibility. Applying these guidelines can help make surveys inclusive and respondent-centered, providing a strong foundation for enhancing survey design and embedding EDIA principles within health professions education research.

Author Biographies

  • Eleftheria Laios, Queen's University

    Queen's University
    Queen's Health Sciences
    Office of Professional Development & Educational Scholarship (OPDES)

  • Wiley Chung, Queen's University

    Associate Professor of Surgery, Thoracic Surgeon
    Reznick Scholar in Health Professions Education, Faculty of Health Sciences

    Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Program Director, PGME
    Director of Interprofessional Education, MD Program (UGME)
    Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Indigeneity, & Accessibility, MD Program (UGME)
    Chair, Surgical Patient Safety & Quality Improvement Committee, Department of Surgery

References

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2. Flicker S, Guta A, Larkin J, et al. Survey design from the ground up: collaboratively creating the Toronto Teen Survey. Health Promot Pract. 2008 Mar 26;11(1):112–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839907309868

3. Rebbeck TR, Bridges JFP, Mack JW, et al. A framework for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in genetics and genomics research. JAMA Health Forum. 2022 Apr 15;3(4):e220603. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.0603

4. Hall RH, Hanna P. The impact of web page text-background colour combinations on readability, retention, aesthetics and behavioural intention. Behav Inf Technol. 2004 May;23(3):183–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/01449290410001669932

5. Campbell A, Adams C, Montgomery R, Cooper M, Kirkpatrick A, editors. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2. W3C; 2023. Available from: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/

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Published

2026-03-09

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Black Ice

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Mujeedat Lekuti, Eleftheria Laios, Wiley Chung

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