Implicit Bias Essay

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Implicit bias is the inadvertent or unconscious negative or positive assessment of a group and its members relative to another group. Since such bias is not directed by one’s intention or awareness, recognizing and controlling it presents challenges (Fitzgerald & Hurst, pg.71). A number of studies have been conducted on implicit bias within the healthcare field and its effect on quality of care, clinical judgment, and patient outcomes. “The National Institute of Health ranks this issue third among its top five priorities (Fitzgerald & Hurst, pg.77).” Healthcare professionals’ bias along with community or individual bias towards healthcare professionals, or the healthcare system, can lead to disparities in care. By becoming aware of and addressing this issue, both patients and members of the healthcare team can work to improve quality of care, patient outcomes and the healthcare field as a whole. Gender and race/ethnicity are often at the forefront of discussion when considering bias in any setting but one must also consider the possibility of implicit bias towards characteristics such as: age, weight, mental illness, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, and drug abuse history, especially as they pertain to healthcare (Blair, Steiner, & Havranek, 2011, pg.13). An …show more content…

“Past experience of discrimination may mean that a patient may come to an interaction with negative expectations (Blair, Steiner, & Havranek, 2011, pg.15). Patients may omit pertinent information regarding their health due to unintentional judgment of a healthcare provider’s age, gender, race, capacity for empathy, willingness to help, or even their field of expertise. For example a female patient may withhold information regarding her reproductive health from a male general practitioner due to his gender or even his lack of specialty expertise in

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