JMIR Dermatology, a leading Sherpa Romeo/Scopus/DOAJ/CABI/PubMed Central/PubMed-indexed, peer-reviewed journal, is inviting submissions to a new theme issue titled “Diversity in Dermatology.”
Diversity plays a significant role in dermatology, influencing various aspects of health care delivery in community health. Current research consistently highlights the advantages of diversity in the health care sector in patient outcomes and dermatological research. JMIR Dermatology places a special emphasis on exchanging clinical information, providing education, facilitating diagnosis and care, and promoting dermatological health globally. JMIR Dermatology is also the official journal of the International Society of Digital Health in Dermatology (ISDHD), formerly known as the International Society of Teledermatology (ISTD).
Advantages of diversity in dermatology include improved patient outcomes, improved cultural competence and communication, enhanced innovation and problem-solving, and reduced health care disparities. Despite the advantages of diversity in dermatology, some challenges need to be addressed to leverage the strength of a diverse health care workforce and ensure equitable and effective service delivery for dermatology patients. Efforts toward fostering inclusivity, addressing unconscious and implicit biases, and promoting cultural competency are essential for dermatology patients and professionals alike.
Here are several ways diversity impacts dermatology:
- Cultural competence: A diverse dermatology workforce can enhance cultural competence, fostering better communication and understanding between health care providers and patients. This is achieved by grasping cultural nuances, practices, and beliefs regarding skincare and dermatological conditions.
- Improved access to care: Having a diverse workforce, including dermatologists and health care providers from various backgrounds, may encourage individuals from marginalized communities to seek treatment and overcome barriers related to cultural differences, language, and mistrust of the health care system.
- Enhanced research and innovation: Diversity in dermatology fosters a variety of perspectives, experiences, and ideas. This diversity of thought can lead to innovative approaches in research, treatment methods, and product development. Different viewpoints can uncover new insights into skin conditions, their causes, and effective treatments.
- Reducing bias and misdiagnosis: Research has shown that biases, including racial biases, can influence medical diagnosis and treatment. A diverse dermatology workforce helps reduce these biases in diagnosing skin conditions across various skin types and ethnicities.
- Patient satisfaction and trust: Patients are more likely to feel comfortable and understood when they are treated by health care professionals who share similar backgrounds or can relate to their lived experiences. This rapport and trust between patients and doctors can lead to increased patient satisfaction, better adherence to treatment plans, and improved health outcomes.
- Education and training: Diversity in dermatology education programs and training facilities helps create a more inclusive learning environment. It prepares future dermatologists to understand and address the diverse needs of patients, fostering a more culturally competent and empathetic health care workforce.
- Addressing socioeconomic factors: Diversity in dermatology can help in recognizing and addressing socioeconomic factors that impact skin health. It allows for a more comprehensive approach to health care, considering how social determinants affect skin conditions and treatment adherence.
JMIR Dermatology is seeking original research papers, research letters, viewpoints, short papers, literature reviews, and case reports for this theme issue. Papers should explore research and clinical practice with a focus on diversity and dermatology.
Submissions are welcomed from researchers and practitioners in dermatology, medicine, health care, computer science, and related fields. Submissions may include, but are not limited to, the following areas of research:
- Equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging;
- Improving and diversifying the representation of the dermatology workforce;
- Differences in skin health outcomes depending on race, ethnicity, sex, gender, religion, disability, geographic location, sexual orientation, or insurance status.
How to Submit
Please submit to JMIR Dermatology by selecting “Theme Issue (2024): Diversity in Dermatology” in the “Section” drop-down list. For more information, see the article How do I submit to a theme issue? in our Knowledge Base and consult our Instructions for Authors.
Submission Guidelines
All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-review process, and accepted articles will be published as part of the “Diversity in Dermatology” theme issue.
All articles submitted to this theme issue will be shared and published rapidly through the following mechanisms:
- All peer-reviewed articles in this theme issue will be immediately and permanently made open access. This is the standard for all titles within the JMIR Publications portfolio.
- Articles can be made immediately available in JMIR Preprints (with a DOI) after submission if authors select the preprint option at submission to enable this service.
Submissions not reviewed or accepted for publication in this JMIR Dermatology theme issue (e-collection) may be offered cascading peer review or transfer to other JMIR Publications journals, according to standard JMIR Publications policies.
Early-stage formative work that informs the design of future interventions or research may better fit the scope of JMIR Formative Research. Authors are encouraged to submit study protocols or grant proposals to JMIR Research Protocols before data acquisition to preregister the study (Registered Reports; subsequent acceptance in one of the JMIR Publications journals is then guaranteed).
Theme Issue Editor
Robert Dellavalle, MD, PhD, MSPH, Editor-in-Chief, JMIR Dermatology
Professor of Dermatology and Public Health
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Colorado School of Public Health
Chief, Dermatology Service
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Eastern Colorado Health Care System
robert.dellavalle@cuanschutz.edu
Guest Editor
Ramiro Rodriguez, MD
Instructor/Fellow
Department of Dermatology, Anschutz Medical Campus, CO, USA
ramiro.a.rodriguezt@gmail.com
Acknowledgments
This call for papers was, in part, generated using ChatGPT by OpenAI; however, it was edited and enhanced by friendly humans.