Introduction to the Research Handbook on Health Education, Health Promotion and Diversity

Recognizing the importance of diversity within health education and health promotion, research that incorporates diversity principles is essential in health education and health promotion, as it ensures that investigators obtain accurate information to be used as the foundation for health promotion and health education interventions in the communities they aim to serve. Historically, health-related research has used a blind approach in data collection and has failed to consider the diversity of the populations included in research samples. However, the increasing diversity of populations worldwide necessitates that health education and health promotion researchers consider the realities faced by diverse populations. To achieve health equity, health researchers must address the impact of social determinants of health in their research designs to collect better data for policymaking. This Handbook aims to introduce the reader to relevant issues that need to be considered when conducting research among diverse populations.