Inclusivity and Engagement: The Canadian Spinal Cord Injury – Rehabilitation Association Welcomes You to the 10th National Spinal Cord Injury Conference

Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, 2024 · DOI: · Published: January 1, 2024

Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Disability

Simple Explanation

Inclusion is about creating equal access to opportunities, resources, and knowledge. Effective inclusion leads to meaningful engagement, where people with lived experience are involved in decision-making related to clinical care, research, knowledge sharing, and community initiatives. The conference aims to explore how to best support inclusion and engagement in clinical practice, research, technology development, knowledge translation, and implementation initiatives. Understanding one’s own privilege and intersectional lens is an important step toward supporting minoritized communities.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

People living with SCI/D

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Diverse and inclusive teams are more creative, innovative, and relevant.
2
Sharing sociodemographic information is essential for providing high-quality healthcare for individuals with SCI/D.
3
New datasets are needed to support inclusivity and engagement in the SCI/D rehabilitation field.

Research Summary

The Canadian Spinal Cord Injury–Rehabilitation Association (CSCI-RA) is celebrating its emphasis on inclusivity and engagement. The intent of the conference theme is not to highlight the benefits of inclusion and engagement in clinical and research environments; we already know that diverse and inclusive teams tend to be more creative, innovative, and relevant. We trust that you will use your time at the conference to reflect on your own privilege, oppression, and unconscious biases that may be influencing your perception or delivery of clinical care and research.

Practical Implications

Improve Healthcare Equity

Acknowledging nonbinary genders and trans experiences helps healthcare providers offer more equitable and inclusive care.

Enhance Research and Programs

Involving individuals with lived experience in the development and implementation of health services and research projects leads to more impactful outcomes.

Foster Allyship

Understanding one’s own privilege and using it to support minoritized groups promotes allyship.

Study Limitations

1
Paucity of literature describing how service delivery is influenced by gender and/or sexual orientation.
2
Need to build trust to ensure people feel safe when sharing their personal information.
3
Unconscious biases that may be influencing perception or delivery of clinical care and research.

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