Full Citation
Title: Facilitating Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Health Workforce
Citation Type: Miscellaneous
Publication Year: 2015
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Abstract: Racial and ethnic diversity among health professionals helps improve healthcare access and better meet the health needs of an increasingly diverse population. While substantial resources have been dedicated to help diversify the health workforce, people of color remain under-represented in many health professions. This study aims to: (1) explore how the diversity of the health workforce has changed over the last decade and (2) explore the state of evidence on the effectiveness of pipeline programs that seek to promote racial and ethnic diversity in the health workforce. Using data from the American Community Survey (ACS), we examine changes in the racial and ethnic composition of the health workforce from 2005 to 2014 for a selected set of health occupations. We also reviewed five years (2010-2015) of literature on the effectiveness of pipeline programs aimed at recruiting and retaining people of color in health professions. We found that although the health workforce is becoming more diverse, most individuals from under-represented minority backgrounds remain in lower-skilled occupations. Regarding evidence supporting the effectiveness of educational efforts designed to facilitate racial and ethnic diversity within the health professions, promising practices were identified and most focused on increasing the interest, application, and enrollment of racial and ethnic minorities into health profession schools such as medicine or dentistry. However, there is still a missing link in the pipeline between entry, persistence, graduation, and pursuit of a healthcare career.
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Authors: Snyder, Cyndy R; Stover, Bert; Skillman, Susan M; Frogner, Bianca K
Publisher: Center for Health Workforce Studies
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Health, Labor Force and Occupational Structure, Race and Ethnicity
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