Summary
Objectives: Through a scoping review, we examine in this survey what ways health equity has
been promoted in clinical research informatics with patient implications and especially
published in the year of 2021 (and some in 2022).
Method: A scoping review was conducted guided by using methods described in the Joanna Briggs
Institute Manual. The review process consisted of five stages: 1) development of aim
and research question, 2) literature search, 3) literature screening and selection,
4) data extraction, and 5) accumulate and report results.
Results: From the 478 identified papers in 2021 on the topic of clinical research informatics
with focus on health equity as a patient implication, 8 papers met our inclusion criteria.
All included papers focused on artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The papers
addressed health equity in clinical research informatics either through the exposure
of inequity in AI-based solutions or using AI as a tool for promoting health equity
in the delivery of healthcare services. While algorithmic bias poses a risk to health
equity within AI-based solutions, AI has also uncovered inequity in traditional treatment
and demonstrated effective complements and alternatives that promotes health equity.
Conclusions: Clinical research informatics with implications for patients still face challenges
of ethical nature and clinical value. However, used prudently—for the right purpose
in the right context—clinical research informatics could bring powerful tools in advancing
health equity in patient care.
Keywords
International Medical Informatics Association Yearbook - clinical research informatics
- health equity - structural bias - discrimination - artificial intelligence - prediction
models - algorithmic bias