The Power of the Tongue: A Scoping Review of Inclusive Language Practices in Healthcare Settings

Patient-provider communication is a crucial aspect of the work conducted in healthcare settings. Studies have shown that spoken and written language used by providers during healthcare conversations can positively or negatively impact health outcomes. A scoping review was conducted to map peer-reviewed research articles focused on the use of spoken/written language in healthcare settings, identify and clarify key related concepts, and find best practices for decreasing the use of harmful and biased language among healthcare professionals. Peer-reviewed articles published in English from 2003 to 2023 were identified through ProQuest Sociological Abstracts, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases. Covidence was used to perform screening and data extraction. The search initially identified 128 records for title and abstract screening, with 33 articles deemed relevant for a full-text screen. A total of nine articles met the review’s inclusion criteria. Findings indicated a need for increasing and expanding inclusive language training for healthcare providers to enhance patient care quality and health equity and to ensure the next generation of healthcare providers adopt these practices. Training healthcare providers in inclusive language is crucial to improving patient care and addressing systemic biases in the healthcare system. Integrating this training into educational curriculums and continuing education opportunities can help reduce biases, empower patients, and support better health outcomes.