Professionalism: microaggression in the healthcare setting

Area of Science:

• Medical education
• Health equity
• Social determinants of health

Background:

• Microaggressions are subtle, everyday behaviors stemming from unconscious bias.
• These actions can limit access to power, resources, and opportunities.
• Microaggressions contribute to health disparities among marginalized groups in healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To educate on the link between microaggressions, unconscious bias, and health disparities.
• To provide tools for bystanders to address microaggressions.
• To outline institutional strategies for improvement.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on microaggressions in healthcare.
• Analysis of impact on healthcare professionals and patients.
• Synthesis of strategies for intervention and institutional change.

Main Results:

• Physicians, particularly in perioperative fields, experience distress during training.
• Workplace mistreatment, including discrimination, is prevalent among residents.
• Microaggressions influence medical professionals' decisions, affecting patient care.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the correlation between microaggressions and health disparities is crucial.
• Bystander intervention strategies can mitigate the impact of microaggressions.
• Institutional commitment is necessary for creating equitable healthcare environments.