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Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology
Assessment of skin of color and diversity and inclusion content of dermatologic published literature: An analysis and call to action
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Overview
Paper Summary
Conflicts of Interest
Identified Weaknesses
Rating Explanation
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Paper Summary
Paperzilla title
Dermatology Journals Need More Color: A Study Finds Lack of Skin of Color Representation
The study found that the average percentage of articles relevant to skin of color (SoC) across 52 dermatology journals is quite low (16.8%), with significant variation between journals. Higher-ranked journals tend to publish fewer SoC-related articles. The study proposes criteria for assessing SoC content and recommends that journals aim for at least 16.8% SoC-relevant articles per issue to promote equitable dermatological care.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
Dr. Jenny E. Murase has participated in advisory boards for several pharmaceutical companies, given talks sponsored by pharmaceutical companies, and provided consulting services for a medical information website.
Identified Weaknesses
Limited identification of relevant articles
The study relies on keyword analysis and image availability to identify relevant articles, which may not capture all relevant research, particularly if race/ethnicity information is not explicitly stated or if images are not accessible. This could lead to an underestimation of SoC representation in some journals.
Over-reliance on case reports
Case reports featuring patients with SoC significantly influenced the overall percentage of publications on SoC for some journals. This may overestimate the actual representation of SoC-focused research if race/ethnicity was not the primary focus of the case report.
Potential for perpetuating race-based medicine
The study acknowledges that including race/ethnicity in clinical patient presentations is becoming discouraged. Their use of Fitzpatrick skin type as a proxy may not accurately reflect the diversity of skin colors and may perpetuate race-based medicine.
Lack of consideration for potential biases
The study does not account for potential biases in journal selection, publication processes, or author demographics. This may affect the generalizability of the findings to the broader dermatological literature.
Rating Explanation
The study addresses an important topic and provides valuable data on the representation of skin of color in dermatological literature. However, the methodology has some limitations that may affect the accuracy and generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the disclosed conflicts of interest with pharmaceutical companies may introduce potential bias.
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Topic Hierarchy
File Information
Original Title:
Assessment of skin of color and diversity and inclusion content of dermatologic published literature: An analysis and call to action
File Name:
pmc8484942.pdf
[download]
File Size:
0.65 MB
Uploaded:
July 14, 2025 at 10:55 AM
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