Implicit Bias

Implicit bias refers to attitudes and stereotypes that affect our decisions unconsciously, outside our awareness or intentional control. In healthcare, implicit racial bias occurs when clinicians treat patients differently based on race without being aware of doing so.

Research has documented significant racial implicit bias among healthcare providers. Studies show Black patients receive less pain medication than white patients for the same conditions and are less likely to be referred for cardiac procedures when presenting with chest pain.

A 2016 study in PNAS found half of white medical students endorsed false biological beliefs about Black bodies (such as Black skin being thicker) affecting pain treatment recommendations.