The Role of Implicit Bias on Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities and Its

Background: Health disparities are differences in wellness and disease that exist between populations. Health disparities based on race and ethnicity exist in the United States, and implicit bias on the part of the provider may play a part. Objectives: The purpose of this integrative literature review is to describe if implicit bias based on race/ethnicity is found among health care professionals and its impact on health outcomes. Methods: Original studies published after 2006 were found using the CINAHL Complete database. Those that measured implicit bias in health professionals and studied racial/ethnic disparities were included. Results: Six original studies were analyzed, and all studies found an implicit preference towards non-Hispanic Whites over Blacks/Latinos. This implicit bias has a clear impact on indirect health outcomes such as communication and therapeutic relationships, and mixed results were found on the impact on direct treatment recommendations. Conclusion: Nurses need to be aware of unconscious bias towards groups of people in order to provide fair and ethical care. Acting on bias or passing on bias renders nurses complicit in health disparities.