Implicit Bias Training Has Positive Effects for Healthcare Workers

The Issue

Healthcare workers’ implicit biases about patients can contribute to racial, ethnic, and other disparities in health outcomes. This analysis reviews previous literature on the impact of implicit bias training, which educates individuals on their biases and how they may affect patient care, on healthcare professionals and trainees.

Key Findings

• Nearly every study (96%) found implicit bias training had a positive effect on healthcare workers’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to identifying implicit bias.
• Positive outcomes include increased personal bias awareness and increased ability to develop strategies to identify and manage potential biases regarding patients.
• Positive associations related to implicit bias training were found across target populations within the healthcare workforce, including medical students, nursing students, and clinical faculty.
• Most of the studies had methodological limitations, including inadequate descriptions of interventions and the absence of a comparison group.

Conclusion

Researchers say the findings suggest that implicit bias training can be effective in raising knowledge and awareness about the harmful effects of automatic or assumed beliefs among health professionals, although more research on the topic is needed.

About the Author/Grantee

The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center for more information specific to its staff and its recent research.