This study examined whether implicit gender biases, unconscious associations about people based on their gender, influence how general practitioners (GPs) diagnose and treat type 2 diabetes. Ninety-nine GPs completed tests measuring two biases, one related to lifestyle (women having a healthier lifestyle than men) and one related to communication (men being less communicative than women), and then assessed clinical cases featuring a male or female patient.
Female GPs showed a significant lifestyle-related bias, while GPs of both genders showed a communication-related bias. The patient’s gender also affected clinical decisions: for example, GPs were less certain about the diabetes diagnosis when the patient was a woman.
These findings show how unconscious bias can shape clinical decision-making.
Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.15087
Reference:
Skvortsova, A., Meeuwis, S.H., Vos, R.C., Vos, H.M.M., van Middendorp, H., Veldhuijzen, D.S., & Evers, A.W.M. (2023). Implicit gender bias in the diagnosis and treatment of type 2 diabetes: A randomized online study. Diabetic Medicine, 40(8), e15087