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Abstract

Purpose. Educating students in health occupations about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can improve healthcare outcomes for the clients they serve, yet educators may lack training and readiness for incorporating DEI in course content. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the psychometric properties of the Health Professions Educators DEI Scale (HPE DEI), which measures awareness, empowerment, and action orientation of educators.

Method. A 19-item literature-informed intrument was developed and reviewed for content validity by subject matter experts. Convenience and snowball sampling were used. The piloted instrument was distributed to seven institutions and received sufficient responses for Exploratory Factor Analysis (n=68).

Results. Analysis showed an initial four-factor structure based on 19 items. Eigenvalues, communalities, and factor weights were reviewed to increase the instrument parsimony. The final model resulted in a 13-item scale across three factors: awareness, empowerment, and action orientation. All subscales resulted in Cronbach’s alpha ranging from .61 to .84, with the overall instrument reflecting an alpha of .80.

Conclusion. Disparities in health care can begin to be addressed by educating students in health occupations about the need to consider DEI in their practice leading to improved health care outcomes for all populations. The HPE DEI scale is an important first step to assess faculty readiness to address DEI as they engage in teaching and learning.

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