Logo image
Healthcare Providers' Formative Experiences with Race and Black Male Patients in Urban Hospital Environments
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Healthcare Providers' Formative Experiences with Race and Black Male Patients in Urban Hospital Environments

Marie V Plaisime, David J Malebranche, Andrea L Davis and Jennifer A Taylor
Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, v 4(6), pp 1120-1127
Dec 2017
PMID: 27928771

Abstract

Racial health disparities Access to care Health service delivery Health professionals Race/ethnicity Bias African Americans/Black Racism
We explored health providers' formative personal and professional experiences with race and Black men as a way to assess their potential influence on interactions with Black male patients. Utilizing convenience sampling with snowballing techniques, we identified healthcare providers in two urban university hospitals. We compared Black and White providers' experiences based on race and level of training. We used the Gardener's Tale to conceptualize how racism may lead to racial health disparities. A semi-structured interview guide was used to conduct in-person interviews (n = 16). Using the grounded theory approach, we conducted three types of coding to examine data patterns. We found two themes reflective of personally mediated racism: (1) perception of Black males accompanied by two subthemes (a) biased care and (b) fear and discomfort and (2) cognitive dissonance. While this latter theme is more reflective of Jones's internalized racism level, we present its results because its novelty is compelling. Perception of Black males and cognitive dissonance appear to influence providers' approaches with Black male patients. This study suggests the need to develop initiatives and curricula in health professional schools that address provider racial bias. Understanding the dynamics operating in the patient-provider encounter enhances the ability to address and reduce health disparities.

Metrics

18 Record Views
18 citations in Scopus

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#10 Reduced Inequalities
#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Logo image