Advancing equity diversity and inclusion considerations and application in patient-oriented research in British Columbia

Patient-oriented research (POR) engages people with lived experience as partners in health research priority-setting, design, and knowledge translation, ensuring research outcomes are relevant for people accessing healthcare. POR is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)-led Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (SPOR) nationally, and the British Columbia Support for People and Patient-Oriented Research and Trials (BC SUPPORT) Unit provincially. Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are foundational to effective and impactful POR. We outline the BC SUPPORT Unit's journey to integrate EDI considerations in POR over two phases and share lessons learned. Initial work focused on advancing methods to understand engagement barriers faced by those underrepresented in POR. Subsequent efforts saw integration of EDI considerations and practices across the BC SUPPORT Unit's activities. A baseline EDI assessment identified knowledge gaps in actioning EDI and navigating the fear of making mistakes, informing the creation of a workshop series for ongoing EDI training. We also describe how an integrated knowledge translation platform, the Tapestry Tool, facilitated co-creation and sharing of resources throughout this work. We share how purposeful and inclusive community engagement, combined with methodological approaches to embed EDI in POR, can promote lasting change within research ecosystems and beyond.