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.