WHAT GETS COUNTED GETS DONE: A POLICY ANALYSIS OF THE BARRIERS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS TO COLLECT DISAGGREGATED RACE-BASED HEALTH DATA

Abstract

An emerging aspect of public health research indicates that race operates as a factor in producing health inequities for racialized groups. Researchers have little ability, however, to demonstrate the extent of this impact in provinces across Canada because few provinces collect disaggregated race-based health data. This predicament prompts the research question: What are some of the barriers and opportunities that exist when provincial governments decide to collect disaggregated race-based health data? This thesis uses discursive and historical institutionalism to demonstrate that difficulties of data coordination in a federal system, fears of causing stigma among patients, beliefs among policymakers and the public in Canada as a society free of racism, and confusion over the biological basis of race operate as barriers in collecting disaggregated data. Collecting data may provide opportunities to build trust with marginalized communities and assist advocates in placing racial health equity initiatives onto the policy agenda.