What Is Unconscious Bias in Healthcare?
These articles are written by Diverse Health Hub for HCPs and those interested in making a difference in health outcomes. We present information to create in-depth conversations that encourage health professionals to critically think about how they can best serve their patients and families.
Unconscious bias can creep into all aspects of people’s lives, and healthcare is no exception. Patient surveys and studies have been carried out to decipher how BIPOC patient experiences compare to their white counterparts. The results are clear that unconscious biases exist, and efforts must be made to educate healthcare professionals about their potential biases and how to move forward toward equitable care experiences.
Consequences of Unconscious Bias in Healthcare
Some observed consequences of unconscious bias in healthcare have included:
Healthcare professional responses to treating pain occur at a decreased level. In comparing patients with the same level of pain, Black patients are less likely to receive pain medication even when dealing with severe pain.
With Black women, there are well-documented reports of their being dismissed as credible witnesses to their own medical conditions. One startling example involved world-renowned tennis star Serena Williams’ experience after giving birth and informing her care team members about her need for a CT scan and IV blood thinner due to her history of pulmonary embolisms. After her requests were dismissed, Ms. Williams then suffered with a hematoma, other complications, and six weeks of bed rest to recover after giving birth.
A study of sickle cell disease (SCD) patients compared to renal colic patients also showed racial bias in prescribing pain medication. A majority of SCD patients are Black, while renal colic patients are white. However, in response to the rapid onset of acute pain experienced in both conditions, SCD patients experienced more of a delay in receiving pain medication – despite the fact that SCD pain levels are recognized as higher compared to renal colic patients.
Solutions to Reduce Unconscious Bias in Healthcare
Actions can be taken to help work toward equitable healthcare for all patients, including:
Increased recruitment of BIPOC individuals into healthcare education and professions
Healthcare professionals can take surveys to gauge their own unconscious biases to keep themselves accountable
Routine surveys of the healthcare experiences of underdiagnosed and untreated populations must continue to gauge the rates of those who still experience bias
Patient advocates and healthcare professioinals can advocate for increased funding for BIPOC patient education resources to improve self-advocacy for better care
Healthcare professionals can encourage underdiagnosed and untreated BIPOC groups to participate in clinical trials for more refined treatments
Source
Helene M. Epstein. Why the Color of Your Skin Can Affect the Quality of Your Diagnosis. Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine website. Accessed March 16, 2022. https://www.improvediagnosis.org/dxiq-column/why-the-color-of-your-skin-can-affect-the-quality-of-your-diagnosis/
