Abstract
Purpose :
Little is known about how ophthalmology research related to themes of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has changed over time. Analyzing trends in DEI-related publications can help ophthalmologists and researchers understand and address health disparities. We hypothesize that DEI research has increased over time, especially since 2020.
Methods :
We conducted a review of DEI-related manuscripts published in ophthalmology journals to analyze trends over time. Manuscripts were identified from 8 ophthalmology research journals with high impact factors (Table 1) using a modified version of the MEDLINE/PubMed Health Disparities and Minority Health Search Strategy. Two reviewers independently designated each as DEI- or non-DEI-related based on title, abstract, and full text, with conflicts resolved by a third reviewer. Characteristics of publications were extracted to determine whether disparities related to race/ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status (SES), social determinants of health, age, healthcare access, insurance status, or resource-poor settings were evaluated. Linear regression was performed to analyze trends in publications over time using R.
Results :
Of the 388 publications identified, 247 (64%) met inclusion criteria as defined for this study. Publication dates ranged from 1980 to 2023, with 71 (29%) published from 2020 to 2023. 111 (45%) focused on race/ethnicity, 64 (26%) on SES, 57 (23%) on access to care, and 27 (11%) on gender disparities. There has been a significant increase in the number of DEI-related publications per year since 1980 (R2=0.75; β=0.44, 95% CI 0.36-0.51; p<0.001) (Fig. 1). Impact factor was significantly associated with the total number of DEI-related publications in a journal (R2=0.66; β = 6.83, 95% CI 2.88-10.78; p=0.015).
Conclusions :
Our study documents the increasing number of DEI-related manuscripts published in high-impact ophthalmology research journals over time. Thus far, research has focused on healthcare delivery and disparities related to race/ethnicity, with less emphasis on gender disparities. Our results highlight an opportunity for broader research emphasis in all DEI categories.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.