For years, the STROBE Statement (STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational Studies in Epidemiology) has been considered the gold standard for reporting observational research. Since its release in 2007, it has been cited more than 60,000 times and is widely recognized as a cornerstone for transparent reporting.
The newly released Equity Extension to the STROBE Guideline published in The BMJ and JAMA Network Open covers a critical gap in the original guidelines, now setting clear expectations for how to report health equity-related factors in health research, ensuring that studies better represent diverse populations and reveal inequities that matter for policy and care.
“We often assume research findings can apply to everyone, but that’s not always the case,” said Omar Dewidar, Research Associate at Bruyère Health Research Institute and the University of Ottawa. “When we lack representation, health policies and clinical decisions may not reflect the realities of those who need care the most. By adopting the Equity Extension, researchers can provide a clearer picture of how health outcomes differ across groups and ultimately lead to stronger policy and evidence that can help close the gaps in health outcomes.”
Observational studies make up more than 90% of all published health research. They play a central role in shaping our understanding of long-term safety, healthcare practices, and population health trends. These studies often collect information about equity-related factors such as race, gender, income, or geography, yet too often, this information is reported incompletely, inconsistently, or not at all. Lack of reporting often leads to inequities remaining hidden, and the evidence base used to guide health decisions continues to exclude experiences that matter.
“These updates were co-developed with a broad range interested partners, including individuals from equity-deserving populations,” said Stuart Nicholls, PhD, scientist with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute’s Methodological & Implementation Research Program and Office for Patient Engagement in Research Activities (OPERA). “This was central to the design as it ensures that the relevant perspectives and voices were included when developing the new guideline.”
The Equity Extension introduces 10 new or adapted items on reporting health equity relevant methods, data, and considerations, including recruitment and reporting on lived experience. With this new extension to STROBE, researchers now have a powerful tool to help meet that goal and represents a step forward in making health research more inclusive, transparent, and actionable.
To achieve healthcare that truly works for everyone, research must represent everyone. The Equity Extension to STROBE is a critical step in making sure future research can make that happen.
“Improving the reporting on health equity in observational research (STROBE-Equity): extension checklist and elaboration” was published in The BMJ and JAMA Network Open.
