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Advancing Health Equity in Integrative Health: The Role of Collaborative Educational Partnerships in Addressing Structural Racism

Abstract

Background: Integrative Health (IH) professional organizations are responsible for advancing health equity and addressing structural racism.

Objective: The Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM) partnered with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine to co-create a longitudinal curriculum for its board and staff to address structural racism and health equity in IH.

Methods: We administered a 2-phase curriculum addressing health equity in IH. We evaluated the curriculum with pre & post-surveys of knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors and conducted a qualitative analysis of open-ended questions and personal reflections.

Results: Thirty one respondents took the pre-training survey. The mean knowledge scores for each seminar improved. Qualitative analysis revealed that participants grappled with the pervasiveness of racism and bias engrained within health care.

Conclusion: This curriculum serves as a valuable model for IH professional organizations aiming to address their role in disrupting the effects of racism on health outcomes.

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