Maternal Health Disparities ___________________________________________________________________
meditation practice training in improving implicit bias toward Black and unhoused persons. One hundred one non-Black adults were randomized to one of three groups: a six-week loving-kindness mindfulness practice, a six-week loving-kindness discussion, or the waitlist control. The IAT was used to measure implicit biases, and the results showed that the loving-kindness meditation practice decreased levels of implicit biases toward both groups [83]. COUNTER-STEREOTYPICAL IMAGING Counter-stereotypical imaging approaches involve presenting an image, idea, or construct that is counter to the oversimpli- fied stereotypes typically held regarding members of a specific group. In one study, participants were asked to imagine either a strong woman (the experimental condition) or a gender- neutral event (the control condition) [84]. Researchers found that participants in the experimental condition exhibited lower levels of implicit gender bias. Similarly, exposure to female leaders was found to reduce implicit gender bias [85]. Whether via increased contact with stigmatized groups to contradict prevailing stereotypes or simply exposure to counter- stereotypical imaging, it is possible to unlearn associations underlying various implicit biases. If the social environment is important in priming positive evaluations, having more positive visual images of members in stigmatized groups can help reduce implicit biases. Some have suggested that even just hanging photos and having computer screensavers reflecting positive images of various social groups could help to reduce negative associations [86]. CHIEF EQUITY OFFICERS Equity teams are encouraged to help with implicit bias in healthcare institutions. A chief equity officer has strong rela- tionships in the delivery system and works to ensure health equity is prioritized. Those in this role are leaders with practical oversight of healthcare delivery and implementation. Equity officers are distinct from chief diversity officers, who focus more on internal recruiting, retention, and inclusion opportunities. An equity officer drives an agenda that addresses internal performance in quality and access for all patients, particularly vulnerable patients [87]. Chief equity officers often concentrate on staff preparation, responsibility, and biases, and work to assess and improve how staff regard and treat all patients, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender/sex, or socioeconomic status. Chief equity officers implement approaches to engage providers and the wider community to support and address medical and nonmedical (social determinants) risks to health outcomes [87].
RESOURCES
Maternal Mortality Review Committees http://reviewtoaction.org/tools/networking-map CDC Working Together to Reduce Black Maternal Mortality https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/maternal-mor- tality/index.html American Bar Association Diversity and Inclusion Center Toolkits and Projects https://www.americanbar.org/groups/diversity/resources/ toolkits National Implicit Bias Network https://implicitbias.net/resources/resources-by-category New Jersey Maternal Care Quality Collaborative (NJMCQC) https://www.nj.gov/health/maternal/mcqc Ohio State University The Women’s Place: Implicit Bias Resources https://womensplace.osu.edu/resources/implicit-bias- resources Ohio State University Kirwan Institute for the
Study of Race and Ethnicity http://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey https://www.partnershipmch.org University of California, Los Angeles
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Implicit Bias https://equity.ucla.edu/know/implicit-bias University of California, San Francisco, Office of Diversity and Outreach Unconscious Bias Resources https://diversity.ucsf.edu/resources/unconscious-bias- resources Unconscious Bias Project https://unconsciousbiasproject.org
34
MDNJ1525
Powered by FlippingBook