The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded $3.4 million to the University of Arkansas for a groundbreaking study aimed at understanding and reducing situational bias in healthcare. Led by Dr. Anastasia Makhanova, an assistant professor of psychology, the research will investigate how stress, illness, and personal health concerns among healthcare workers may contribute to increased bias towards patients from racial or ethnic minority groups.
This five-year study, funded by the NIH’s National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, seeks to identify specific situations that could lead medical providers to make more biased decisions. Dr. Makhanova explains, “Most people tend to focus on individual differences when it comes to looking at bias. There’s been a lot less attention to the fact that the same people can make more biased decisions in particular situations.”
The research will focus on the treatment of abdominal pain, an area where past studies have revealed inequities. For instance, Black and Latino patients often receive less pain treatment than white patients reporting similar levels of discomfort.
In collaboration with five other universities and hospitals, including the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences, the study will examine how factors such as stress, illness, and inflammation affect healthcare workers’ treatment decisions. Preliminary research suggests that inflammation can increase bias, particularly among those most aware of their own biases.
Dr. Makhanova’s team will use innovative methods, including measuring bias before and after flu vaccination, to understand how physiological changes impact decision-making. “I think we’re bringing something novel that also has potential to build on existing interventions,” she states.
By identifying key situations that exacerbate bias, this research aims to enhance the effectiveness of existing anti-bias strategies and potentially lead to systemic changes that reduce burnout and improve patient care across all demographics.
See “NIH Awards $3.4 Million for Study of Situational Bias in Healthcare” (October 10, 2024)