A one of a kind study conducted recently proved that whites were favored over blacks by doctors as they unconsciously displayed a bias. The results of this study were presented at San Diego where the America Health Association held its annual meeting.
This study reiterates the results of other such studies which prove that racial biases do exist even though most people are not aware according to Janice Sabin, the main author of this study. She is employed at the biomedical informatics division of the Washington University as the acting professor of medical education.
According to Janice, this bias is unintentional and unconscious and does not indicate anything to do with racism. She also said there will not be a dip in the quality of health care provided because of this bias.
It will take a lot more research and studies to determine the extent of impact on the quality of healthcare because of unconscious racial bias.
About 400,000 people were researched upon and data was compiled from an Implication Association Test on race attitude conducted anonymously. The test involves showing them a series of photographs and asking them to associate negative and positive words in a jiffy.
Doctors who took this test numbered at least 2500 or more and all of them irrespective of their ethnic group or race showed a confirmed preference for Americans who are white over the blacks.
According to Sabin, this unconscious bias is prevalent in all fields including those with doctoral degrees and lawyers and not just with the doctors.
