Journal of American Board of Family Medicine Statement Affirming Inclusiveness and Anti-Racism
Family physicians have been involved in the care of populations exposed to systematic harm and disadvantage since the founding of the specialty. Family Medicine training programs focus on the development of a workforce that cares for communities most in need in the United States. The killings of Black people at the hands of law enforcement and the systematically disproportionate impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) further reinforce the continued need for Family Medicine’s focus on health equity in our country. These events have sparked long overdue introspection, discussions, and activism against racism in society, and more specifically in clinical science.
Since 1988, the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine (JABFM) has published studies that have practical implications for improved patient care. JABFM joined all North American Family Medicine journals in unequivocally condemning racism in all of its forms. JABFM commits to publishing studies that move beyond describing the existence of racial inequities, and towards examining the underlying mechanisms of racism’s alarming impact on health. We strive to promote health equity research studying the impacts of various forms of systemic oppression on patient, population, and workforce health, including (but not limited to): race/ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Moreover, we affirm our commitment to supporting investigators who are underrepresented in health systems, and to help to inspire and promote a more diverse next generation of Family Medicine investigators.
The JABFM is especially interested in articles that consider how to improve the care and health of vulnerable or disadvantaged populations.
We are excited to participate in the movement that will lead to a more just, inclusive and healthy society. Family Medicine will play a vital role in leading us to this better future.