Question

Implicit Bias What does it mean to you? Do you feel you have an bias? How does it affect how we care for patients?

Answer 1

Implicit bias suggests that, people can Acton the basis of prejudice and stereotypes without intending to do so. Implicit bias creates inequalities through many difficult to measure pathways, and as a consequence, people tends to underestimate it's impact

I DIDN'T FEEL I HAVE A BIAS

Implicit attitudes and behaviours of Health care providers have been identified as one of many factors that contribute to health disparities. Implicit attitudes are thoughts and feelings that often exist outside of Conscious awareness, and thus are difficult to consciously acknowledge and control . These attitudes are often automatically activated and can influence human behaviour without conscious awareness. Implicit bias significantly related to patient- provider interactions, treatment decisions, treatment adherence abd patient Health outcomes. Implicit bias is not limited to race , it can exist for charecterics such as, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status and physical characteristics such as height or weight. Health care organisations also have a responsibility to mitigate the effect of implicit bias.

To achieve health equity, health care organisations have a responsibility to mitigate the effect of implicit bias in all interactions and at all points of contact with patients . This is important because, implicit bias has the potential to impact not only outcome of care, but also whether patiensbeill return for service or even seek health care at the organisation in the first place. Implicit bias may affect how providers and other clinicians interact and patients in terms of communication , treatment protocols or recommended treatment options or options for pain management. Implicit bias can affect both perception and clinical decision making and studies shows that , implicit bias is significantly related to patient provider interactions and treatment decisions. Since, black patients are more likely than white patients to die in the ICU recieving life sustaining treatment, rather than hospice recieving comfort care . Implicit bias can negatively affect all elements of patient health care.

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