IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i14p6370-d1194857.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Use of Intersectionality Theory in Interventional Health Research in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Tinner

    (Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UD, UK)

  • Daniel Holman

    (Department of Sociological Studies, The University of Sheffield, The Wave, 2 Whitham Road, Sheffield S10 2AH, UK)

  • Stephanie Ejegi-Memeh

    (Department of Sociological Studies, The University of Sheffield, The Wave, 2 Whitham Road, Sheffield S10 2AH, UK)

  • Anthony A. Laverty

    (Public Health Policy Evaluation, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, UK)

Abstract

Background: Intersectionality theory posits that considering a single axis of inequality is limited and that considering (dis)advantage on multiple axes simultaneously is needed. The extent to which intersectionality has been used within interventional health research has not been systematically examined. This scoping review aimed to map out the use of intersectionality. It explores the use of intersectionality when designing and implementing public health interventions, or when analysing the impact of these interventions. Methods: We undertook systematic searches of Medline and Scopus from inception through June 2021, with key search terms including “intersectionality”, “interventions” and “public health”. References were screened and those using intersectionality and primary data from high-income countries were included and relevant data synthesised. Results: After screening 2108 studies, we included 12 studies. Six studies were qualitative and focused on alcohol and substance abuse (two studies), mental health (two studies), general health promotion (one study) and housing interventions (one study). The three quantitative studies examined mental health (two studies) and smoking cessation (one study), while the three mixed-method studies examined mental health (two studies) and sexual exploitation (one study). Intersectionality was used primarily to analyse intervention effects (eight studies), but also for intervention design (three studies), and one study used it for both design and analysis. Ethnicity and gender were the most commonly included axes of inequality (11 studies), followed by socio-economic position (10 studies). Four studies included consideration of LGBTQ+ and only one considered physical disability. Intersectional frameworks were used by studies to formulate specific questions and assess differences in outcomes by intersectional markers of identity. Analytical studies also recommended intersectionality approaches to improve future treatments and to structure interventions to focus on power and structural dynamics. Conclusions: Intersectionality theory is not yet commonly used in interventional health research, in either design or analysis. Conditions such as mental health have more studies using intersectionality, while studies considering LGBTQ+ and physical disability as axes of inequality are particularly sparse. The lack of studies in our review suggests that theoretical and methodological advancements need to be made in order to increase engagement with intersectionality in interventional health.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Tinner & Daniel Holman & Stephanie Ejegi-Memeh & Anthony A. Laverty, 2023. "Use of Intersectionality Theory in Interventional Health Research in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(14), pages 1-20, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:14:p:6370-:d:1194857
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/14/6370/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/14/6370/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Daniel Holman & Alan Walker, 2021. "Understanding unequal ageing: towards a synthesis of intersectionality and life course analyses," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 239-255, June.
    2. Medina-Perucha, Laura & Scott, Jenny & Chapman, Sarah & Barnett, Julie & Dack, Charlotte & Family, Hannah, 2019. "A qualitative study on intersectional stigma and sexual health among women on opioid substitution treatment in England: Implications for research, policy and practice," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 315-322.
    3. Jean Adams & Oliver Mytton & Martin White & Pablo Monsivais, 2016. "Why Are Some Population Interventions for Diet and Obesity More Equitable and Effective Than Others? The Role of Individual Agency," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(4), pages 1-7, April.
    4. Bowleg, L., 2012. "The problem with the phrase women and minorities: Intersectionality-an important theoretical framework for public health," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(7), pages 1267-1273.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Daniel Demant & Oscar Oviedo-Trespalacios & Julie-Anne Carroll & Jason A. Ferris & Larissa Maier & Monica J. Barratt & Adam R. Winstock, 2018. "Do people with intersecting identities report more high-risk alcohol use and lifetime substance use?," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 63(5), pages 621-630, June.
    2. Theo Beltran & Amani M. Allen & Jess Lin & Caitlin Turner & Emily J. Ozer & Erin C. Wilson, 2019. "Intersectional Discrimination Is Associated with Housing Instability among Trans Women Living in the San Francisco Bay Area," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-11, November.
    3. Alvarez, Camila H. & Evans, Clare Rosenfeld, 2021. "Intersectional environmental justice and population health inequalities: A novel approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    4. Silvia Loi & Peng Li & Mikko Myrskylä, 2022. "At the intersection of adverse life course pathways: the effects on health by nativity," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2022-018, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    5. Mooney, Shelagh, 2018. "Illuminating intersectionality for tourism researchers," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 175-176.
    6. Layland, Eric K. & Maggs, Jennifer L. & Kipke, Michele D. & Bray, Bethany C., 2022. "Intersecting racism and homonegativism among sexual minority men of color: Latent class analysis of multidimensional stigma with subgroup differences in health and sociostructural burdens," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    7. Evans, Clare R. & Erickson, Natasha, 2019. "Intersectionality and depression in adolescence and early adulthood: A MAIHDA analysis of the national longitudinal study of adolescent to adult health, 1995–2008," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 1-11.
    8. Evans, Clare R. & Williams, David R. & Onnela, Jukka-Pekka & Subramanian, S.V., 2018. "A multilevel approach to modeling health inequalities at the intersection of multiple social identities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 64-73.
    9. Chambers, Brittany D. & Fontenot, Jazmin & McKenzie-Sampson, Safyer & Blebu, Bridgette E. & Edwards, Brittany N. & Hutchings, Nicole & Karasek, Deborah & Coleman-Phox, Kimberly & Curry, Venise C. & Ku, 2023. "“It was just one moment that I felt like I was being judged”: Pregnant and postpartum black Women's experiences of personal and group-based racism during the COVID-19 pandemic," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    10. Tuyet-Mai H. Hoang & Ainslee Wong, 2022. "Exploring the Application of Intersectionality as a Path toward Equity in Perinatal Health: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-25, December.
    11. Evans, Clare R., 2019. "Adding interactions to models of intersectional health inequalities: Comparing multilevel and conventional methods," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 95-105.
    12. Gesa Czwikla & Filip Boen & Derek G. Cook & Johan de Jong & Tess Harris & Lisa K. Hilz & Steve Iliffe & Richard Morris & Saskia Muellmann & Denise A. Peels & Claudia R. Pischke & Benjamin Schüz & Mart, 2019. "Equity-Specific Effects of Interventions to Promote Physical Activity among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Development of a Collaborative Equity-Specific Re-Analysis Strategy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-17, September.
    13. Victoria Opara & Ruth Sealy & Michelle K. Ryan, 2020. "The workplace experiences of BAME professional women: Understanding experiences at the intersection," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(6), pages 1192-1213, November.
    14. Christine Unson & Anuli Njoku & Stanley Bernard & Martin Agbalenyo, 2023. "Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Chronic Stress among Male Caregivers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(12), pages 1-13, June.
    15. Thomas Burgoine & Joreintje D. Mackenbach & Jeroen Lakerveld & Nita G. Forouhi & Simon J. Griffin & Søren Brage & Nicholas J. Wareham & Pablo Monsivais, 2017. "Interplay of Socioeconomic Status and Supermarket Distance Is Associated with Excess Obesity Risk: A UK Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-13, October.
    16. Beccia, Ariel L. & Agénor, Madina & Baek, Jonggyu & Ding, Eric Y. & Lapane, Kate L. & Austin, S. Bryn, 2024. "Methods for structural sexism and population health research: Introducing a novel analytic framework to capture life-course and intersectional effects," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 351(S1).
    17. Tristen Hall & Ronica Rooks & Carol Kaufman, 2020. "Intersections of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Race and Ethnicity and Asthma Outcomes: Findings from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-19, November.
    18. Heather R Farmer & Courtney S Thomas Tobin & Roland J Thorpe & Lynn Martire, 2022. "Correlates of Elevated C-Reactive Protein Among Black Older Adults: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study [Racial discrimination, the superwoman schema, and allostatic load: Exploring an in," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 77(11), pages 1964-1977.
    19. Solina Richter & Helen Vallianatos & Jacqueline Green & Chioma Obuekwe, 2020. "Intersection of Migration and Access to Health Care: Experiences and Perceptions of Female Economic Migrants in Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-11, May.
    20. Francesca Brivio & Anna Viganò & Annalisa Paterna & Nicola Palena & Andrea Greco, 2023. "Narrative Review and Analysis of the Use of “Lifestyle” in Health Psychology," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-18, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:14:p:6370-:d:1194857. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.