Examining Potential Implicit Bias in Oncologist-Patient Communication (CONNECT): Protocol for an Observational 2-Site...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Health Disparities Research
• Health Communication

Background:

• Minority patients, including Black and Hispanic individuals, face higher advanced solid cancer incidence and mortality rates compared to White patients.
• These disparities are linked to poorer patient-centered communication, pain assessment, and management.
• Physician implicit bias is a potential contributing factor to these inequities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the role of implicit bias among oncologists.
• To examine the impact of implicit bias on racial or ethnic differences in communication with minority patients with advanced cancer.

Main Methods:

• Recruiting 65 oncologists and 325 advanced solid cancer patients across two health systems.
• Audio recording patient-oncologist encounters and analyzing communication content.
• Administering the Implicit Association Test to oncologists to assess implicit bias.

Main Results:

• Oncologist recruitment is complete (65/65).
• Patient recruitment is ongoing, with 245 out of 325 patients enrolled as of December 2024.
• Study findings are anticipated for publication in October 2026.

Conclusions:

• The study outlines methods for assessing pain conversations and patient-centered communication.
• Development of a codebook to evaluate primary and secondary outcomes is described.
• Challenges and lessons learned during the study are discussed.