Understanding the Roles, Responsibilities, and Factors for Success of Health Equity Officers in Health Care Settings: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Context: Recent national guidelines aimed at addressing equity in health care settings have contributed to an increase in equity officer positions, yet little is known about their roles, responsibilities, or strategies for engaging in health equity work. Objective: To understand the roles and responsibilities of equity officers, as well as facilitators and barriers to their success. Design: In-depth semi-structured interviews with selected respondents from the Equity Officer National Study. Setting: Hospitals and health care systems across the United States. Participants: Twenty-six equity officers who had responded to the Equity Officer National Study survey. Main Outcome Measures: The interview guide explored strategies, facilitators, and barriers for engaging in health equity work in hospitals/health systems and communities. Results: The job roles described by participants fell into 4 categories: community benefits/relations, population/community health, workforce, and health equity. Equity officers described key areas to support success at the individual equity officer level: knowledge and expertise, professional skills, and interpersonal skills; at the hospital level: leadership, workforce, infrastructure and resources, and policies and processes; at the community level: leadership and partnerships; and at the system level: requirements and regulations, investment and resources, and sociocultural and political characteristics of the community. These key areas have been organized to create a Framework for Equity Officer Success. Conclusions: The Framework for Equity Officer Success should be incorporated into hospital board, community stakeholder, and policymaker discussions about how to support health equity work in hospitals and health care systems.