Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Observational Study
Inter-Physician Weight Bias: A Cross-Sectional Observational Survey Study To Guide Implicit Bias Training in the Medical Workplace.
Implicit bias contributes to both health care disparities and professional limitations, and it exists among physicians. Prior literature has described physician weight bias (WB) toward patients, but little research has investigated interphysician WB. This study describes the prevalence of interphysician implicit WB and investigates the relationships between implicit, explicit, and professional biases. The authors hypothesized that the majority of physicians possess interphysician implicit WB and that the degree of implicit bias has a direct relationship with explicit and professional WB. ⋯ Our findings highlight the prevalence of interphysician implicit WB; the strong correlations between implicit, explicit, and professional WB; and the potential disparities faced by physicians with obesity. These results may be used to guide implicit bias training for a more inclusive medical workplace.
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Discrimination based on race is a known source of stress in individuals and is a contributor to poor health outcomes in patients. However, less is known about how the experiences of racism impact the stress levels of emergency health care workers (EHCWs). ⋯ Systemic racism is a significant concern and source of stress for EHCWs. Additional research about systemic racism, its impact on medical providers, and more importantly, active strategies to reduce and ultimately eliminate it in health care is needed.
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Multicenter Study
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Delayed Diagnosis of Appendicitis Among Children.
Appendicitis is the most common surgical condition in pediatric emergency department (ED) patients. Prompt diagnosis can reduce morbidity, including appendiceal perforation. The goal of this study was to measure racial/ethnic differences in rates of 1) appendiceal perforation, 2) delayed diagnosis of appendicitis, and 3) diagnostic imaging during prior visit(s). ⋯ In this multicenter cohort, there were racial disparities in appendiceal perforation. There were also racial disparities in rates of delayed diagnosis of appendicitis and diagnostic imaging during prior ED visits. These disparities in diagnostic imaging may lead to delays in appendicitis diagnosis and, thus, may contribute to higher perforation rates demonstrated among minority children.