Open AccessWhy Do Providers Contribute to Disparities and What Can Be Done About It?
Author(s) -
Burgess Diana J.,
Fu Steven S.,
Van Ryn Michelle
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of general internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.746
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 1525-1497
pISSN - 0884-8734
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2004.30227.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ethnic group , cognition , perspective (graphical) , psychological intervention , stereotype threat , stereotype (uml) , health care , cognitive bias , health equity , social psychology , nursing , psychiatry , public health , psychology , artificial intelligence , sociology , anthropology , computer science , economics , economic growth
This paper applies social cognition research to understanding and ameliorating the provider contribution to racial/ethnic disparities in health care. We discuss how fundamental cognitive mechanisms such as automatic, unconscious processes (e.g., stereotyping) can help explain provider bias. Even well‐intentioned providers who are motivated to be nonprejudiced may stereotype racial/ethnic minority members, particularly under conditions of that diminish cognitive capacity. These conditions—time pressure, fatigue, and information overload—are frequently found in health care settings. We conclude with implications of the social‐cognitive perspective for developing interventions to reduce provider bias.