"Understanding and Addressing Implicit Bias in Healthcare Settings"

In order to achieve health equity, where everybody can attain their full potential for health and well-being regardless of individual milieu, it is highly critical to understand and address the biases present and work their way out. One type of such bias is implicit, or unconscious bias. In this post, we delve into why implicit bias matters and how it affects health equity.

1. What is implicit/unconscious bias?

   1. “The attitude or internalized stereotypes that unconsciously affect our perceptions, actions, and decisions”

   2. Includes race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, health status, and other characteristics

2. Why does implicit bias matter?

   1. Implicit bias can lead to unequal treatment of people in terms of health equity

      1. Prejudice and discriminatory practices hinder the pursuit of health equity as it limits access to healthcare services

      2. Limits career advancement in the medical field; hinders workforce diversity

      3. Deprived access to healthcare services

3. How to reduce implicit bias

   1. As healthcare providers, it is essential to incorporate patient-centered approaches. These include:

      1. Active listening; paying close attention to patients’ concerns and perspectives without making assumptions

      2. Treatment plans to satisfy each patient's unique needs and preferences

      3. Open-mindedness. Don’t establish prejudice based on the implicit factors that contribute to biases.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK589697/#:~:text=Implicit%20bias%20is%20the%20attitude,reducing%20bias%2Dbased%20discriminatory%20behavior. 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8004354/ 

https://www.techtarget.com/patientengagement/feature/What-is-implicit-bias-how-does-it-affect-healthcare#:~:text=What%20is%20implicit%20bias%20in,seep%20into%20patient%2Dprovider%20communication.