Evaluation of diversity, equity, and inclusion perceptions in the orthopedic surgery workforce: A stratified approach

Introduction: By stratifying perceptions of importance of diversity, equity and inclusion from orthopedic staff, this research aims to guide effective initiatives centered around DEI. Materials & Methods: A prospective survey study was distributed to a metropolitan university-based Orthopedic Surgery Department. Chi square analysis was used to compare perception of personal and professional experiences, health, gender and sexual identity between age, gender, ethnicity, level of education, socioeconomic status in childhood, and household income of respondents. Results: Of 111 respondents, 79.4% aged ≤35 saw apt diverse representation of their own professional experience versus 93.0% in the >35 age group (P value 0.020). 89.9% of females and 71.9% of males agreed on DEI's importance, while 9.4% of males disagreed (P value 0.011). Level of education showed no significance. There was a significance between household income levels less than and greater than $70,000 in perceived importance of every category of DEI, including importance of diverse representation of personal/background experiences (race/ethnicity, religion, marital status, parental status, and SES as a child, P value 0.001), professional experiences (P value 0.013), personal health (P value 0.024), gender/sexual identity (P value 0.024), and importance of DEI in health care (P value 0.026). 56.7% respondents agreed to participate in DEI initiatives through the department. Discussion and Conclusion: Distinct variations related to perception of DEI were observed across demographics, particularly age, gender, and household income. Specific areas were identified, including gender and income differences, that require focused interventions. These findings provide insights for designing comprehensive and tailored DEI initiatives.