Improving Cardiovascular Care for Women through Implicit Bias Awareness as a Quality Improvement Process
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Date
2021-05
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Background: Female patients with a cardiovascular crisis are at risk of facing care disparity due to
implicit bias by clinical providers in the emergency department (ED). Aims: To (1) evaluate and compare
the effects of implicit bias training on clinical practice change in the cardiac care of men verses women 30
days after educational intervention (2) evaluate and compare the attitudes and perceptions of implicit bias
training (measured before and after intervention) with a 10-item measurable survey (3) receive feedback
on the educational intervention for future use. Methods: The Plan Do Study Act method of quality
improvement was used for this project. Assessment included a baseline review compared to post
intervention data. Likert scale-based surveys were administered to the staff to determine change in
nursing knowledge. Results: The Wilcoxon singed-rank test demonstrated significant increases in staff
knowledge post intervention. Pearson chi square tests used to evaluate interventions effects for (younger
under 50 years of age) before and after intervention showed for younger female patients; evidence of
pre/post difference in frequency of EKG tests and Troponin lab assessments were in the desired direction.
Pre intervention, evidence of gender differences for all but the distribution of EKG and Troponin labs for
older patients existed. Post intervention, there was evidence of gender differences in medications used for
younger patients. Conclusions: Education on implicit bias creates awareness potentially altering
cardiovascular care positively.
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Keywords
implicit bias and gender, cardiovascular and women, unconscious bias and women, implicit bias and heart attack, unconscious bias and coronary disease