FAQ
Get Informed
WHAT IS RACE?
The concept of race is not based on science or biology, it is a manmade creation of society. Race is a social construct that groups us into racial groups based on our physical attributes and ethnic background. For generations, it has been used as a means to separate us and put us in a hierarchy where those who were lighter and european were deemed higher.
WHAT IS RACIAL BIAS?
Racial bias is the perception that certain racial groups act a certain way and should uphold these stereotypes. They can be negative or positive but they play a part in first impressions/judgments. This is very harmful when it comes to medical treatment as instead of asking questions assumptions are made based on their race.
WHY SHOULD RACIAL SENSITIVITY BE TAUGHT IN ANY CAREER FIELD?
Racial sensitivity should be addressed in any field because of how common subtle discrimination is implemented into the systems and the lack of education about racial issues. Addressing racial sensitivity allows people to understand and empathize with people of color and the struggles they face in different systems. This allows workers to be conscious of their decisions that may have underlying biases against a racial group.
WHY IS ADDRESSING RACIAL BIAS IMPORTANT?
Addressing racial bias is important because it can be extremely harmful to communities of color in the long term. It is also subtle discriminatory behavior based on stereotypes that can lead to mistreatment or negligence. Whether the doctor is being intentional with their biased diagnoses or not it can harm the health of patients of color.
WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF RACIAL BIAS IN THE CURRICULUM?
Some examples of the racial bias or implicit biases being taught in the medical curriculum are that black people have a higher pain tolerance or they don't feel pain as much as a white person would. There is also a lack of darker skin in medical drawings and diagrams. Different symptoms can show up differently on darker skin tones that can be missed in diagnosis since it was never shown.
HOW DOES BIAS AFFECT PEOPLE OF COLOR?
Bias affects people of color’s medical treatment, as stated in FAQ 4, because racial bias can lead to misdiagnosis, undertreatment of something more severe, poor relationship between patient and their doctor, and worsen conditions in the future. This less effective treatment adds to the health disparities prevalent in communities of color.
WHO ELSE CAN BIAS AFFECT?
This not only affects people of color but also marginalized groups like women, the LGBTQ+ community, those who are disabled, mental health patients, and those who are overweight. Implicit bias impacts people who are a part of more than one marginalized group even more as well as different as our identities are intersectional.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF PHYSICIANS AND DOCTORS HAVING IMPLICIT BIASES?
The risk of physicians and doctors having an implicit bias is harming certain communities and creating a further barrier between healthcare and POC. This implicit bias can lead to life-threatening judgments and decisions that contribute to higher mortality and illness rates. Not only that but there are disparities in health conditions within POC communities such as heart diseases, smoking, diabetes, asthma, HIV/AIDS, obesity, and etc.
HOW CAN THESE BIASES BE EXPRESSED?
These biases can be expressed by addressing patients in a patronizing tone due to negative misconceptions/views on the patient, limiting certain families, preventing certain treatments based on assuming the families accessibility to facilities based on race, and not being able to provide and translator/interpreter so the patient can fully understand what is going on.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AT HAND?
While these behaviors can be done by individuals, it is also something that is encouraged or pushed in the curriculum and can lead to subconsciously making biased decisions. To address this issue awareness about implicit bias must be brought up so that future doctors and physicians can make conscious decisions. Future medical students should learn about the health disparities and include the different inequalities that certain communities face in health care.