فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Background: Emergency departments (EDs) are high-pressure, complex environments in which rapid clinical decisions are required, increasing the risk of discriminatory practices and inequities in care. In this setting, discrimination can manifest across multiple dimensions, including race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and health conditions, and can adversely affect service quality, access to care, and patient outcomes. Objectives: This study uses a sequential qualitative multimethod design to comprehensively examine the dimensions of discrimination in ED service delivery and to propose context-sensitive mitigation strategies. Methods: The study consists of 3 phases. Phase 1 involves thematic content analysis of semistructured interviews with key stakeholders, including ED patients, family caregivers, healthcare professionals, and hospital administrators, to explore lived experiences and perceptions of discrimination. Phase 2 comprises a scoping review conducted according to Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology to map and synthesize existing evidence on discrimination in EDs globally, with particular attention to contexts relevant to Iran. Phase 3 integrates findings from phases 1 and 2 using the Pillar Integration Process (PIP) to develop a coherent conceptual framework and formulate evidence-based, context-aware recommendations for reducing discrimination and promoting equity in emergency care. Ethical approval was obtained from Lorestan University of Medical Sciences (IR.LUMS.REC.1403.398). Results: At the time of manuscript submission, the study was in the preparatory phase. Participant recruitment, qualitative data collection, and scoping review searches had not yet begun; therefore, no empirical results were available. Conclusions: This study protocol describes a rigorous, sequential, qualitative multi-methods design that integrates thematic content analysis with a JBI-guided scoping review, followed by structured data integration using the PIP. The findings will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal and are expected to contribute to the growing discourse on equitable emergency healthcare delivery.