About this Research Topic
“This pandemic has magnified every existing inequality in our society – like systemic racism, gender inequality, and poverty. And it’s impossible to pick one issue as more serious because so many people live at the intersection of all of those challenges,” - Melinda Gates.
“Disregarding diversity only continues the cycle of health inequities and holds us back from developing meaningful tech to address unmet needs.” - Uresha Patel Clincal Engineering Lead at CMR Surgical.
The population in the west is becoming more ethnically diverse, fuelled by economic and/or climate change population migration, leading to a more diverse population being educated and working, slowly changing the allied health and medical professions workforce. A diverse population is equally associated with a wider range of medical conditions requiring treatment. Historical approach of medical gender-blind homogenic research approaches have led to poor medical outcomes for females and other patient groups: ethnic, gender-diverse, pregnant, breastfeeding, elderly, and children. Equally, the traditional male engineering team has led to surgical instruments for male surgeons, this has had a significant impact on the health of female surgeons, as well as female patients.
The UK GOV medical technology strategy recognizes that "The UK has a diverse population, and it is vitally important that every person has timely access to effective, safe medical technology regardless of ethnicity, sex, or any other attribute". Engineering, technology, and design researchers of medical technology have an ethical and legal obligation to research and develop inclusive medical technology interventions.
This special edition of Frontiers of Medical Technology presents an opportunity to re-examine, investigate, innovate, report, illustrate, and consider medical technology from an equality, diversity, and inclusive perspective: age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender.
We welcome the submission of manuscripts focused on innovations in medical technology developments that are addressing diverse medical challenges. These may include original review, case series, mini reports, comprehensive review, or research papers of research and development of medical technology for diverse patient population (gender, age, ethnicity, disability) from the angle of physiology, anatomy, pathology, radiology, surgery, rehabilitation, sports medicine, orthopaedics, physiotherapy, diagnostics, anthropometry, biometrics, or occupational therapy.
Topics may include:
- Quantitative and/or Qualitative evaluation of prototype:
(1) Identifying strength of the technology with respect to patient diversity.
(2) Quantifying risk factors of limited inclusiveness of the technology.
- Observational studies using primary or secondary data aimed at:
(1) Identifying strength of the technology with respect to patient diversity.
(2) Quantifying risk factors of limited inclusiveness of the technology.
- Scoping reviews or systematic reviews aimed at assessing:
(1) Medical Technology innovation with respect to diverse patients and settings.
(2) Identify any limitations with respect to patient diversity.
“Disregarding diversity only continues the cycle of health inequities and holds us back from developing meaningful tech to address unmet needs.” - Uresha Patel Clincal Engineering Lead at CMR Surgical.
The population in the west is becoming more ethnically diverse, fuelled by economic and/or climate change population migration, leading to a more diverse population being educated and working, slowly changing the allied health and medical professions workforce. A diverse population is equally associated with a wider range of medical conditions requiring treatment. Historical approach of medical gender-blind homogenic research approaches have led to poor medical outcomes for females and other patient groups: ethnic, gender-diverse, pregnant, breastfeeding, elderly, and children. Equally, the traditional male engineering team has led to surgical instruments for male surgeons, this has had a significant impact on the health of female surgeons, as well as female patients.
The UK GOV medical technology strategy recognizes that "The UK has a diverse population, and it is vitally important that every person has timely access to effective, safe medical technology regardless of ethnicity, sex, or any other attribute". Engineering, technology, and design researchers of medical technology have an ethical and legal obligation to research and develop inclusive medical technology interventions.
This special edition of Frontiers of Medical Technology presents an opportunity to re-examine, investigate, innovate, report, illustrate, and consider medical technology from an equality, diversity, and inclusive perspective: age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender.
We welcome the submission of manuscripts focused on innovations in medical technology developments that are addressing diverse medical challenges. These may include original review, case series, mini reports, comprehensive review, or research papers of research and development of medical technology for diverse patient population (gender, age, ethnicity, disability) from the angle of physiology, anatomy, pathology, radiology, surgery, rehabilitation, sports medicine, orthopaedics, physiotherapy, diagnostics, anthropometry, biometrics, or occupational therapy.
Topics may include:
- Quantitative and/or Qualitative evaluation of prototype:
(1) Identifying strength of the technology with respect to patient diversity.
(2) Quantifying risk factors of limited inclusiveness of the technology.
- Observational studies using primary or secondary data aimed at:
(1) Identifying strength of the technology with respect to patient diversity.
(2) Quantifying risk factors of limited inclusiveness of the technology.
- Scoping reviews or systematic reviews aimed at assessing:
(1) Medical Technology innovation with respect to diverse patients and settings.
(2) Identify any limitations with respect to patient diversity.
Keywords: Medical Technology, Inclusivity, Equality, Diversity
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
