The Effects of Oncologist Implicit Racial Bias in Racially Discordant Oncology Interactions.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Health providers' implicit racial bias negatively affects communication and patient reactions to many medical interactions. However, its effects on racially discordant oncology interactions are largely unknown. Thus, we examined whether oncologist implicit racial bias has similar effects in oncology interactions. We further investigated whether oncologist implicit bias negatively affects patients' perceptions of recommended treatments (i.e., degree of confidence, expected difficulty). We predicted oncologist implicit bias would negatively affect communication, patient reactions to interactions, and, indirectly, patient perceptions of recommended treatments.

Methods

Participants were 18 non-black medical oncologists and 112 black patients. Oncologists completed an imp

SUBMITTER: Penner LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5012663 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature