Abstract A166: Towards Health Justice: Implementing Structural Competency in Women's Healthcare Education Towards Health Justice

Abstract Introduction: Significant health disparities persist in women's health, particularly among marginalized groups like racial/ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with disabilities. Addressing these inequities requires training healthcare providers in structural competency to recognizing how social, economic, political, and cultural structures influence health outcomes beyond just individual factors. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the literature on structural competence in connection to health inequalities in women's health. The objectives include: (1) Reviewing the role of structural competence in addressing health disparities among in reproductive health ; (2) Analysing instructional methodologies related to structural competencies; and (3) Developing a strategic framework to address racial health disparities in women's health through structural competence. Methodology: A literature review was conducted using the Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases. After applying specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, 463 publications were retained from 905 articles published between 2010 and 2023. Findings: Major health disparities experienced by women include lack of access to quality healthcare services, discrimination from providers, higher rates of chronic illnesses, mental health issues, and lack of autonomy in reproductive health decisions and influenced by cultural norms and expectations. Racial/ethnic minority women face additional disparities due to language/cultural barriers, provider biases, impact of social determinants, and discrimination.Structural competency approaches highlighted include using community health workers (CHWs), analyzing electronic health record (EHR) data to identify disparities, advocating for policy changes targeting social determinants, and integrating structural competency training in medical curricula.While no specific successful policy examples are provided, recommendations include expanding healthcare coverage, supporting community clinics, and addressing socioeconomic inequities through systemic interventions. Conclusion: Integrating structural competency into medical education holds transformative potential for alleviating persistent health disparities in women's health by equipping providers to recognize and confront the underlying structural factors perpetuating these inequities. Citation Format: Daina Charnelle Fougang, Dianne Wepa A/P Wepa, Charles Charnelle Mpofu. Towards Health Justice: Implementing Structural Competency in Women's Healthcare Education Towards Health Justice [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A166.