UMass Chan Medical School Faculty Publications
Title
Measuring Diversity and Inclusion in Academic Medicine: The Diversity Engagement Survey
UMMS Affiliation
Department of Quantitative Health Sciences; Department of Psychiatry
Publication Date
2015-12-01
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
Health and Medical Administration | Medicine and Health | Race and Ethnicity
Abstract
PURPOSE: To produce a physician and scientific workforce that advances high-quality research and culturally competent care, academic medical centers (AMCs) must assess their capacity for diversity and inclusion and leverage opportunities for improvement. The Diversity Engagement Survey (DES) is presented as a diagnostic and benchmarking tool.
METHOD: The 22-item DES consists of eight factors that connect engagement theory to inclusion and diversity constructs. It was piloted at 1 AMC and then administered at 13 additional U.S. AMCs in 2011-2012. Face and content validity were assessed through a review panel. Cronbach alpha was used to assess internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to establish construct validity. Cluster analysis was conducted to establish ability of the DES to distinguish between institutions' degrees of engagement and inclusion. Criterion validity was established using observed differences in scores for demographic groups as suggested by the literature.
RESULTS: The sample included 13,694 respondents across 14 AMCs. Cronbach alphas for the engagement and inclusion factors (range: 0.68-0.85), CFA fit indices, and item correlations with latent constructs indicated an acceptable model fit and that items measured the intended concepts. Cluster analysis of DES scores distinguished institutions with higher, middle, and lower degrees of engagement and inclusion by their respondents. Consistent with the literature, black, Hispanic/Latino, female, and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) respondents reported lower degrees of engagement than their counterparts.
CONCLUSIONS: The DES is a reliable and valid instrument for assessment, evaluation, and external benchmarking of institutional engagement and inclusion.
Keywords
UMCCTS funding
DOI of Published Version
10.1097/ACM.0000000000000921
Source
Acad Med. 2015 Dec;90(12):1675-83. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000000921. Link to article on publisher's site
Related Resources
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges
PubMed ID
26466376
Repository Citation
Person SD, Jordan CG, Allison JJ, Fink Ogawa LM, Castillo-Page L, Conrad S, Nivet MA, Plummer DL. (2015). Measuring Diversity and Inclusion in Academic Medicine: The Diversity Engagement Survey. UMass Chan Medical School Faculty Publications. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000000921. Retrieved from https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/faculty_pubs/829