Current Guidance on Inclusive Language for Medical and Science Journals

Abstract

MODERATOR: Stacy L Christiansen JAMA SPEAKERS: Tracy Frey JAMA Network Annette Flanagin JAMA and JAMA Network Stacy L Christiansen REPORTER: Michele Springer Caudex New York, New York “Inclusive language supports diversity and conveys respect. Language that imparts bias toward or against persons or groups based on characteristics or demographics must be avoided.”1 This session focused on inclusive language updates from the AMA Manual of Style, a resource used by scientific authors, editors, and publishers worldwide. Stacy Christiansen opened the session by explaining the rationale behind updating the AMA Manual of Style so soon after the last update (February 2020): They believe it is imperative for medical and scientific journals to use consistent, equitable language when describing the race and ethnicity of patients or in articles that discuss health disparities in healthcare, research, and education (Figure). The AMA Manual of Style Committee began reassessing the guidance for reporting race and ethnicity in spring 2020. After 8 months of research, updates, and external review, the revised guidance was published as an editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Assosication (JAMA) in February 2021 with an invitation for wider review and feedback. The guidance was revised following comments from numerous reviewers and those with expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion. After another round of peer review, the updated guidance was published in JAMA in August 2021. The following key principles are included in the updated guidance: An acknowledgment that race and ethnicity are social constructs—race is a created concept, not defined […]