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Down to the Last Dollar: Utilizing a Virtual Budgeting Exercise to Recognize Implicit Bias.

ABSTRACT: Introduction:As social determinants of health and implicit bias are recognized as critical components of medical education, there is a need for novel approaches beyond didactics. We developed a small-group budgeting exercise to simulate the impact of poverty. Pediatrics exemplifies the effects of poverty on the family. This exercise allowed students to recognize the effects of food insecurities on health and reflect on biases regarding patients living in poverty. Methods:The virtual interactive budgeting exercise (1.5-2 hours) introduced third-year pediatric clerkship students to the challenges faced by a single parent living in poverty, requiring them to make choices on which budget items were most important. Students attempted to balance budgets within small breakout groups, followed by a group reflection on biases encountered. A faculty facilitator then debriefed with the larger group. Results:Within the first four rotations of the 2020-2021 academic year, 75 students completed the budgeting exercise and reflection, with 61 students completing the postexercise survey evaluation. Between 94% and 98% rated the objectives as met to a moderate, considerable, or very high degree. In addition, 98% of students noted the group discussion heightened their awareness regarding biases, and 95% agreed or strongly agreed the activity was conducted virtually without difficulty. Discussion:This simulated budgeting exercise provides a well-rounded experience for medical students, that can be administered at either the preclerkship or clerkship level, at a minimal cost, with interactive engagement of students in a virtual environment and reflection on biases within a group context.

SUBMITTER: Traba C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8645532 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Problem and purposeHealthcare provider implicit bias influences the learning environment and patient care. Bias awareness is one of the key elements to be included in implicit bias education. Research on education enhancing bias awareness is limited. Bias awareness can motivate behavior change. The objective was to evaluate whether exposure to a brief online course, Implicit Bias in the Clinical and Learning Environment, increased bias awareness.Materials and methodsThe course included the history of racism in medicine, social determinants of health, implicit bias in healthcare, and strategies to reduce the impact of implicit bias in clinical care and teaching. A sample of U.S. academic family, internal, and emergency medicine providers were recruited into the study from August to December 2019. Measures of provider implicit and explicit bias, personal and practice characteristics, and pre-post-bias awareness measures were collected.ResultsOf 111 participants, 78 (70%) were female, 81 (73%) were White, and 63 (57%) were MDs. Providers held moderate implicit pro-White bias on the Race IAT (Cohen's d = 0.68) and strong implicit stereotypes associating males rather than females with 'career' on the Gender-Career IAT (Cohen's d = 1.15). Overall, providers held no explicit race bias (Cohen's d = 0.05). Providers reported moderate explicit male-career (Cohen's d = 0.68) and strong female-family stereotype (Cohen's d = 0.83). A statistically significant increase in bias awareness was found after exposure to the course (p = 0.03). Provider implicit and explicit biases and personal and practice characteristics were not associated with an increase in bias awareness.ConclusionsImplicit bias education is effective to increase providers' bias awareness regardless of strength of their implicit and explicit biases and personal and practice characteristics. Increasing bias awareness is one step of many toward creating a positive learning environment and a system of more equitable healthcare.

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Down to the Last Dollar: Utilizing a Virtual Budgeting Exercise to Recognize Implicit Bias.

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