The 5Ws of Racial Equity in Research: A Framework for Applying a Racial Equity Lens Throughout the Research Process

Abstract

Ensuring equity in research is a critical step in advancing health equity. In this perspective, the authors introduce a guiding framework for advancing racial equity in research processes, environments, and among the research workforce, the 5Ws of Racial Equity in Research. Centering their discussion on the 5Ws: Who, What, When, Where, and Why, they use historical and contemporary examples of research inequities to demonstrate how these five simple questions can encourage open discussion and proactive planning for equity in research. They close with an acknowledgment of the framework's broad utility and a researcher-directed call to action.

Homophily and social mixing in a small community: Implications for infectious disease transmission

“…It is possible that these mixing patterns could be positively leveraged to engage historically excluded groups in clinical care or clinical research [ 32 ]. Among this cohort, Black or African-American participants were able to successfully recruit within race, which could have been a way to increase participation among a group that has been historically excluded from research.…”

Using an Equity in Research Framework to Develop a Community-Engaged Intervention to Improve Preexposure Uptake Among Black Women Living in the United States South

“…This analysis used the 5Ws to question racial equity across the research process, from design to implementation to dissemination. This analysis method is based in deliberate reflection toward “understanding processes, circumstance, and intent” through questioning of 5Ws (Bentley-Edwards et al, 2022, p. 918). It is designed to improve reasoning, learning, and problem solving from the practice of deep reflection on and questioning of the lived experience, similar to techniques gained in health professions' diagnostic and clinical training (Mamede & Schmidt, 2023).…”

“…The 5Ws are categories representing lists of questions that structure and organize reflection, open discussion, and proactive planning (Bentley-Edwards et al, 2022). "Who" thoroughly examines inclusion and exclusion of "all parties involved in research from conception to dissemination" (p. 918).…”

“…Engaging Black owned and operated businesses that serve a predominantly Black customer population can offer locations and leaders to build, connect with, and maintain community through shared values and missions. Thus, Black owned and operated businesses, such as beauty salons, are important economic and community anchors for accessing and working with community during research (Koh et al, 2020) and may be preferable to clinical settings (Bentley-Edwards et al, 2022).…”

“…The purpose of this article is to present and model an effective community-partnered research process with Black women using the 5Ws of Racial Equity in Research framework (Who, What, When, Where, and Why; 5Ws; Bentley-Edwards et al, 2022) to evaluate organizing and engagement between research and community partners. We demonstrate how the 5Ws framework can function as a reflexivity-based method for researchers to continuously question equitable participation with CAC members to produce an effective, culturally relevant HIV prevention intervention with Black women.…”