Full Answer Section

Looking back,

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I believe implicit bias, likely age-related, could have influenced the interaction. Research by Fitzhugh et al. (2018) suggests that healthcare professionals might hold unconscious biases towards younger patients, attributing their concerns to stress or lifestyle factors rather than exploring potential medical causes. This aligns with my experience, where my age (28 at the time) might have led the doctor to underestimate the severity of my symptoms.

Mitigating Bias: A Collaborative Approach

Despite this experience, I recognize the complexities of healthcare and the challenges faced by busy professionals. However, there are steps both patients and healthcare providers can take to minimize the impact of bias:

• Patients: As patients, we can be our own advocates. Coming prepared with a list of concerns and specific examples of symptoms can help guide the conversation and ensure our voices are heard (Haider et al., 2019).
• Healthcare Providers: Healthcare professionals can benefit from implicit bias training to become more aware of their own unconscious biases and how they might influence patient interactions. Additionally, actively listening to patients’ concerns and exploring all possibilities can lead to more accurate diagnoses and improved patient outcomes (Haider et al., 2019).

Ultimately, a collaborative approach where both patients and healthcare providers are aware of potential biases and take steps to mitigate them is crucial for ensuring equitable and effective healthcare experiences.

References

Fitzhugh, L., Zgierska, A. E., & Hinton, D. E. (2018). Ageism in healthcare: A systematic review of the evidence. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 33(2), 142-158. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6961830/

Haider, S. J., Smedley, B. D., & Stith, A. H. (2019). Implicit bias review: Education’s role in reducing health disparities. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 229(1), 76-89. https://www.facs.org/about-acs/governance/acs-committees/committee-to-advance-diversity-inclusion-and-equity/diversity-resources/