Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40075407›Full record

SynthesisInternational journal for equity in health2025

Barriers and facilitators for engaging underrepresented ethnic minority populations in healthcare research: an umbrella review.

Shahina Pardhan, Tarnjit Sehmbi, Rumalie Wijewickrama, Hugo Onumajuru, Mapa Prabhath Piyasena

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International journal for equity in health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 53 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
53citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

53 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  8. Article
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  11. Faith, Culture, and Cancer: A Qualitative Study Exploring Muslim Women's Perspectives on Clinical Trials in the United Kingdom.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026
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  12. Article
  13. Article
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  15. Building the Oncology Workforce: A Qualitative Evaluation of an Inter-Institutional Cancer Research Internship for Underrepresented Undergraduate Students.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2026
    Article
  16. Multistakeholder perspectives on geographical accessibility to emergency obstetric care in Benin City, Nigeria.African journal of emergency medicine : Revue africaine de la medecine d'urgence · 2026
    Article
  17. Article
  18. Navigating Long-Term Co-Creative Research With Young Adults Diagnosed With Cancer: A Qualitative Study.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Shahina PardhanVision and Eye Research Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, East Rd, CB1 1PT, Cambridge, UK. Shahina.pardhan@aru.ac.uk.
Tarnjit SehmbiVision and Eye Research Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, East Rd, CB1 1PT, Cambridge, UK. tarnjit.sehmbi@aru.ac.uk.
Rumalie WijewickramaVision and Eye Research Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, East Rd, CB1 1PT, Cambridge, UK.
Hugo OnumajuruVision and Eye Research Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, East Rd, CB1 1PT, Cambridge, UK.
Mapa Prabhath PiyasenaVision and Eye Research Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, East Rd, CB1 1PT, Cambridge, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundResearch highlights that participation of ethnic minority individuals in research is low when compared to white counterparts. This poses challenges for healthcare planning and delivery, as lack of representativeness in research means that findings are generalised across all ethnic groups, and do not provide stakeholders with a full picture of how minority populations are affected. This contributes to health inequalities as these populations may then be underserved and not get the best possible management if differences due to ethnicity were to exist. This study synthesises the barriers to engaging minority individuals in research to understand, and enablers to better engagement of different minority communities in healthcare research.

methodsFive databases were searched (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science and EMBASE) up to 29th April 2024, resulting in 897 articles, of which 11 met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted from reviews and synthesised using qualitative meta-aggregation techniques. The socio-ecological framework was applied to synthesise the main outcomes. A protocol for this review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024532686).

resultsThe main barriers for research participation included: mistrust of healthcare professionals, research and researchers; socioeconomic and logistical challenges; language and cultural barriers; lack of awareness; external influences and perceived bias. Facilitators to support better research participation included: Community engagement and personalised approaches; culturally sensitive research strategies; linguistically appropriate study materials and study advertising; education workshops.

conclusionsTo enable wider participation, it is important to understand not only the barriers but also to employ culturally appropriate facilitators, engaging with patient and public involvement (PPI) groups that communities trust, offer cultural training for researchers, and adopt a more collaborative and transparent way of working. This overview highlights the work that needs to be done on an intrapersonal, interpersonal, community and policy level to make research accessible and inclusive for ethnic minority groups.

Indexed as

EthnicityHealth Services ResearchMinority GroupsHumansBarriersChallengesEthnic groupsEthnic minoritiesObstaclesRacial minoritiesResearchResearch participationUK

Identifiers

PMID40075407
PMCPMC11905581

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.