Unconscious Bias Against Women in Healthcare
Unconscious bias refers to the universal stereotypes that affect human behavior unintentionally. The prejudices are ingrained within the beliefs that individuals hold and seem innocent but significantly impact the way individuals and organizations make decisions. Unconscious bias is common in workplaces and influences the allocation of duties and the award of promotions and privileges at work, among other practices. Individuals may advance unconscious bias by naturally warming up to familiar people or presuming that an individual is right because they like them. Individuals also extend unconscious bias based on stereotypes and assumptions they bear on a group of people, and this makes it difficult to assess them objectively. Besides, groupthink often informs how individuals view others belonging to different communities. In the healthcare field, unconscious bias usually affects different groups based on gender, sexual orientation, and racial identity. However, the prejudices that arise due to gender affecting the allocation of duties and benefits to women professionals are most distinct. Unconscious bias in healthcare against women diminishes the quality of healthcare by promoting discrimination of these professionals based on traditional prejudices and common stereotypes.
Defining Unconscious Bias
The diversity of the workforce in the healthcare system has led to discussions about the underrepresentation of minority groups in the United States. The underrepresented groups include racial and ethnic groups that are alienated from medical training and thus do not qualify for a career in this sector (Yearby, 2011). Besides, the bias is extended towards persons exhibiting alternative sexual orientations. A study carried out in the US revealed that the representations of minority racial groups in the US healthcare were minimal (Feagin & Bennefield, 2014). The results showed that only 6% of African Americans and 5% of Hispanics comprised the labor force in healthcare in the US. Other groups with minimal representation in the healthcare field include the LGBT and persons with disabilities that comprised 8.7% and 2.7%, respectively (Marcelin et al., 2019). The implicit bias of professionals in this field affects their objectivity by altering perceptions, behavior, and decision-making.
Implicit bias influences how individuals process information about certain groups and leads to unintended discriminatory decisions against these persons. Although the healthcare community has attempted to achieve more equal approaches, the sector continues to suffer overt discrimination based on ethnicity, and gender still influences human interactions. The practice has been noteworthy against women leading to generally higher income levels for men compared to women (Sukhera & Watling, 2018). Unconscious bias emanates from attitudes that unconsciously alter an individual’s perceptions about others. Although such actions are unintended, they go against the ethics in the healthcare sector where individuals must be treated with human dignity regardless of their identity. The bias against the female gender at work stems from relations in medical training institutions where male students dominate leadership positions (Marcelin et al., 2019). Besides, recommendation letters often entail more positive reviews for male candidates when compared to those referring to female students. In public presentations, male speakers receive more elaborate introductions than their female counterparts (Files et al., 2017). In their appearances in public, men are also more likely to be referred by their official titles than women (Duma et al., 2019). Stakeholders in the healthcare sector must carry out extensive awareness campaigns to educate their professionals in this field about the dangers of unconscious bias in the delivery of service.
Implicit biases against women are manifested in different forms in the medical field in the US today. The biases often compel people to act in ways that are inconsistent with their beliefs. In healthcare circles, women physicians are more commonly referred to as nurses, while the male counterparts are rightfully called doctors (Salles et al., 2019). The bias stems from the traditional role that women have played in the healthcare sector in ancient times. The women professionals also rarely receive invitations as guest speakers. The general conduct in this field infirmed by gender bias creates the impression that women are less competent than men (Salles et al., 2019). Unconscious bias threatens to erode the gains obtained from the diversity and inclusion initiatives in the healthcare sector to the detriment of quality healthcare provision.
Women continue to experience discrimination in the healthcare industry across the world. Research reveals that gender is among the leading forms of discrimination in hospitals in Turkey. The ascription of lower status on women stems from the western bipolar thinking that places men higher in the social hierarchy (Özcan, Özkara & Kızıldağ, 2011). Besides, the implicit gender discrimination in the country arises from the physical and personal characteristics that women bear and the duties that they perform at home. The biases also diminish the chances of promotion of women to positions of influence due to their emotional nature. Individuals who execute these measures presume that women are incapable of making critical decisions in organizations. In the US, biased behavior against women in healthcare emanates from several myths that diminish the ability of women to perform in this industry. The Healthcare sector has embraced several reforms to enhance equal employment in the field to engender inclusiveness. Historically, legislations, including the Equal Pay Act (1963)and the Civil rights Act (1964), have all been geared to ensure that no individual suffered discrimination at work for any reason. Besides, the Charter of Fundamental Rights under the EU prohibits the discrimination of individuals at work on any ground, including sex. In the realization of the traditional discrimination that women have faced historically, several countries, including Austria, Germany, Poland, and Sweden, among others, have instituted anti-discrimination laws.
The practice of discrimination prevails in contexts where such practices receive minimal condemnation. Individuals in such settings justify the propagation of myths against specific members of society. Organizations with little tolerance to gender equality may, for instance, propagate the embrace myths that relegate women to the domestic front. Motherhood myths are the most enduring in exercising unconscious bias against women. Marriage is considered as the most fulfilling experience in adulthood (Verniers & Vala, 2018). However, concepts of marriage derive from traditional beliefs about the role of men and women. Such approaches inform the views that women have innate motherhood abilities that best manifest by staying at home to take care of children (Newman, 2014). Consequently, mothers who choose to pursue a formal career are perceived to have neglected their duties and therefore threaten the stability of their families ((Verniers & Vala, 2018). The myths, ,thus form the basis for gender bias at work stifling the career advancement of women. Discrimination of women based on the motherhood myth unconsciously propagates their professional advancement and denies organizations the skills and competencies that women possess.
Studies by the World Health Organization (WHO) have revealed a gaping chasm in employment-related bias at work based on gender. Although research showed that the health care sector, categorized under social services, attracted more women than men, women mostly occupied low cadre jobs. An analysis of the employment status in the healthcare sector in 104 countries revealed that most female workers were in nursing and midwifery (Mathieu et al., 2019). Men, on the other hand, were employed as physicians, dentists, and pharmacists. The research corroborates the finding on the role of myths in employment at work. The society also informs the types of careers adopted by men and women in society. Whereas men are socialized to take up roles that are masculine and require technical expertise, women mostly tend towards caring and nurture jobs (Butkus et al., 2018). The societal perspective, therefore, informs the courses that women take and the responsibilities they assume in employment. Women are, therefore, more likely to take up nursing and other care-related jobs in the healthcare sector. In recent years, however, the proportion of women in higher levels of employment has increased significantly. Another factor promoting implicit bias for women in the workforce is the payment gap (Holliday et al., 2018). Data from 21 countries revealed gender-related differences in pay with women workers earning an average of 28% less than men.
Globally, women earn an average of 22% lower salaries in comparison with men. The explanation for this gap is that men sometimes work for longer hours, thus attracting higher pay. In 9.9% of the cases, the variation in payment obtained from the difference in occupation, while 11.2% of both genders had similar working conditions (Miller & Vagins, 2018). The higher figure of women with unexplained low salaries reveals the inherent bias in the system of employment. In some instances, women take up flexible job that limits their hours of employment and denies them benefits at work. Some women also prefer to work closer to their families and forego opportunities for promotion that entail moving away from their locations (Golden, 2018). Based on family stereotypes, however, men enjoy several benefits at work and are more likely to rise in the corporate ladder. Apart from biases that arise out of the allocation of duties at work, women also face structural challenges that emanate from their duties to their families that limit their chances of professional advancement.
The traditional roles that women play in society compel them to take up part-time jobs with fewer working hours and lesser payment. Studies in select countries revealed that female physicians work an average of 4.2 hours lower than their male counterparts (Kalaitzi, et al., 2019). Women also recorded fewer working hours for nursing (3.5) and midwifery (3.7). The statistics explain why women earn lower incomes in several sectors, including healthcare. Players in the healthcare sector must consider the factors that promote unconscious bias against women at work and address them to achieve equity at work. Women comprise 70% of the workforce in healthcare, and their professional advancement will result in a gender-balanced approach to healthcare provision (Bloom & Tavrow, 2018). The International Labor Organization (ILO)Convention No. 100 stipulates that countries must achieve equal pay for equal work. The resolutions of the convention have been ratified in 173 countries signifying the will to achieve equity at work (Ameratunga Kring, 2017). States can achieve significant results in minimizing unconscious bias against the employment of women by removing hurdles to their full-time job.
Studies show that women play a critical role in the provision of healthcare services in the private sector. Of the 423 million health workers in the industry, women comprise 70% of the workforce in the OECD countries, the percentage of women workers in healthcare has increased from 29% in 1990 to 45% in 2013 (Gammage et al., 2018). Besides, 90% of the workforce in the nursing field worldwide are women that provide essential care for patients admitted in various healthcare facilities. Many other female nurses provide unpaid care to family members and members of communities receiving medical care in homes. Despite these gains, women are largely underrepresented in leadership in the healthcare industry (FitzGerald & Hurst, 2017). The career advancement for women in the US private healthcare sector is highly skewed against women, and the leadership situation has not progressed significantly since 2015. Participation in leadership Is represented by their membership in boards of directors and top executives. A survey of the leading healthcare institutions showed a 23% representation of women in the board of directors, 23% as executives, and none was a CEO for the Fortune 500 companies in healthcare (Alstott, 2014). Women leadership has however, been seen in small funded startups where 10% are CEOs. The diminished representation of women in high stake leadership can be attributed to their limited participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) (Jackson, Hillard & Schneider, 2014). These technical courses equip individuals with the skills needed to excel in decision-making in the healthcare field.
Women must rise and overcome the challenges that stand in the way of their professional advancement in the healthcare sector. Most women in the healthcare sector do not adequately project their professional skills due to a lack of confidence (Puddifoot, 2017). The Rock Health study found out that an estimated 71% of the female professionals in the medical field depicted the imposter syndrome manifested through a sense of self-doubt, incompetence and lack of qualification. The syndrome informs the attitude of women to shy away from seeking promotion and other benefits at work (Saul, 2013). Lack of confidence produces poor communication outcomes and jeopardizes the career advancement for women. Women also tend to rely on their skills and prior experience for career growth. Men, on the other hand, exploit their networks and have a high propensity for applying for new opportunities.
The fewer number of women in leadership positions leaves women with fewer role models. Many women in surveys have also expressed difficulties in connecting with authority. Women who sit on boards play a critical role in brings the gender balance in decision-making. However, very few women sit on these boards and often experience difficulties in making essential decisions. Women in higher levels of management often feel the pressure to perform and feel isolated in boards dominated by men. Under these circumstances, women often feel the pressure to perform to prove their worth. Studies show that women feel lonely when they are the sole members of company boards and often resign from their responsibilities. Other studies have identified the “Queen Bee” syndrome as a hindrance to the progress of women at work (Derks, Van Laar & Ellemers, 2016). Women in high positions often feel threatened by fellow female colleagues and offer them limited support to rise on the corporate ladder. The characteristic diminishes the chances of women growing in positions of authority (Wuertele, 2017). Formal mentorship has been recognized as essential for inspiring women to achieve professional success at work. However, the “Queen Bee” syndrome diminishes their growth by denying them opportunities to connect with their fellow women in positions of power.
Need for Implicit Bias Training
The prevalence of implicit bias in the healthcare field and its attendant consequences for women calls for elaborate training in this field. Participants in the healthcare sector must understand the bases of bias as the first step towards managing its effect. The common forms of implicit bias include affinity, where individuals tend to form relations with those that share their qualities and anchoring that entails making decisions based on the first piece of information an individual receives (Hub, 2018). Generally, individuals make decisions about others through reference to incomplete data. Attribution is also a frequent basis for biased thinking where an individual attributes the success of individuals to the help they obtain from others while blaming their lack of expertise for the failures they experience. Individuals are also bound to treat people based on their perception of their appearances (Sukhera & Watling, 2018). In this regard, more attractive people receive more favorable treatment. The information that people bear about communities and groups informs their first opinion about them and leads them to form biases through confirmation. People who lack the knowledge for assessing others use contrast to gauge the difference between two individuals and making a judgment. Positive attributes in a person also commonly shield the belief that others have towards them. Conversely, a negative characteristic in a person can cloud others from their positive traits. Healthcare professionals who understand the basis for implicit bias can conform to these challenges and foster an inclusive environment at work.
Efforts to introduce studies in implicit bias in educational institutions have however, faced institutional challenges. Faculty members who have attempted to introduce the subject often lack enough material to support the units. Besides, there are few subject matter professionals in unconscious bias. Studies in implicit bias will help reduce bias among healthcare professionals and foster balanced interactions among different players in the industry. An ideal curriculum in implicit bias will target promoting awareness among members of the healthcare team and help raise the resources for solving the negative effects of implicit bias on patient care. Although a course in implicit bias must address diverse forms of biases experience in the health sector, it will significantly contribute to the creation of a balanced work environment where the contribution of female workers is appreciated.
Mitigating Implicit Bias
Training can help reduce the impacts of unconscious bias against women in the healthcare sector. The process can begin with self-awareness, where they practice rational judgment and steer clear of stereotypical perception (Gill et al., 2010). Some leaders in the healthcare field have advocated for a process of cultural competence instruction as a remedy for implicit bias among workers in hospitals and other medical institutions. The programs are designed to prepare nurse students to confront the biases they may have while executing their professional duties (Motzkus et al., 2019). The Implicit Association Test (IAT) is commonly used to achieve a self-test for inherent biases among individuals. An enhanced ability to use the IAT tool increases the ability of users to confront their biases, promote self-awareness, and improve their professional growth.
Learners can also confront their biases by building empathy and practicing mindfulness. When making decisions, individuals can exercise empathy by placing themselves in the shoes of their colleagues. Through the practice, they will realize the common aspirations they bear and overcome any prejudices they have about the group to which the individual belongs (Fnais et al, 2014). Men can develop positive attitudes about women using this technique and envision them as competent professionals capable of taking up diverse responsibilities at work. Mindfulness helps medical practitioners overcome the overload that comes with the nature of their training. Medical professionals can use such techniques as mindful breathing and meditation to maintain focus in their current experiences and ascertain whether they harbor biased opinions about others. Consistent mindfulness increases compassion towards self and others and helps create more favorable attitudes towards colleagues. Healthcare professionals can also achieve enhanced relations at work by collecting counter-biased information to help them create relationships with stereotyped groups. Individuals in decision-making can use the capabilities they obtain from mindfulness to adopt open-mindedness in employment and promotion of all staff regardless of their gender.
Proposed Actions
Implicit bias against women in the healthcare industry continues to thrive despite their high numbers compared to male professionals. The bias affects women’s professional progression and denies the healthcare sector their input in decision-making. As a future manager in the healthcare manager, I will advocate for targeted recruitment to increase the number of women in decision-making positions in healthcare. I will propose a campaign that begins from the elementary levels to encourage girls to take up technical courses and prepare for a career in the medical field. Besides, I will champion the adoption pf a course in implicit bias in medical training schools to train healthcare students to confront biases that limit the growth of women at work. To enhance fair competition for jobs in the healthcare sector, I will also promote routine motivational talks targeting all workers in the healthcare field to debunk the myths that stand in the way of the advancement of women at work.
Achieving balance at work entails both men and women to confront their fears and prejudices and foster a climate of trust in organizations, unconscious biases against women stem from the traditional role allocation that informs the women’s roles as caregivers. In contrast, men are expected to excel in their jobs. Although the division of labor based on culture has existed in humanity since time immemorial, the arrangement has promoted certain myths about women at work. In this regard, I will advocate for a continuous public awareness campaign aimed at correcting the perception that women cannot excel in the corporate sector. I believe that women can perform better in their professional journey through the support of husbands, fathers, brothers, and other members of society.
The high interest of women in the healthcare sector implies that they have a greater tendency for care and nurture. Policymakers must ensure that women experience minimal obstacles as they pursue their careers in this critical sector. However, despite their large numbers, very few women are represented at the board levels on healthcare organizations. The participation of women in private healthcare is critical and provides them with the opportunity to lead these organizations and supplement the healthcare services offered by the state. Women must receive support from the institutions to counter the unconscious biases that limit their progression. Most of the preferences stem from the cultural upbringing that propagates gender-based biases. In this regard, there is a need to engage society in the process of resocialization to ensure that women obtain equal opportunities at work based on their qualifications. Unconscious bias against women in the private healthcare sector in the US diminishes their participation in decision-making at work and lowers the quality of healthcare in the country.