Open AccessThe perspectives of health professionals and patients on racism in healthcare: A qualitative systematic review
Author(s) -
Wen Jing Sim,
Wen Hui Lim,
Cheng Han Ng,
Yip Han Chin,
Clyve Yu Leon Yaow,
Clare Wei Zhen Cheong,
Chin Meng Khoo,
Dujeepa D. Samarasekera,
M Kamala Devi,
Choon Seng Chong
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0255936
Subject(s) - racism , cinahl , psycinfo , health care , empathy , medline , health equity , prejudice (legal term) , critical appraisal , medicine , psychology , nursing , social psychology , sociology , political science , alternative medicine , gender studies , public health , psychological intervention , pathology , law
Objective To understand racial bias in clinical settings from the perspectives of minority patients and healthcare providers to inspire changes in the way healthcare providers interact with their patients. Methods Articles on racial bias were searched on Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science. Full text review and quality appraisal was conducted, before data was synthesized and analytically themed using the Thomas and Harden methodology. Results 23 articles were included, involving 1,006 participants. From minority patients’ perspectives, two themes were generated: 1) alienation of minorities due to racial supremacism and lack of empathy, resulting in inadequate medical treatment; 2) labelling of minority patients who were stereotyped as belonging to a lower socio-economic class and having negative behaviors. From providers’ perspectives, one theme recurred: the perpetuation of racial fault lines by providers. However, some patients and providers denied racism in the healthcare setting. Conclusion Implicit racial bias is pervasive and manifests in patient-provider interactions, exacerbating health disparities in minorities. Beyond targeted anti-racism measures in healthcare settings, wider national measures to reduce housing, education and income inequality may mitigate racism in healthcare and improve minority patient care.