Relationship Between Clinician Empathy and Perceived Racial Discrimination in Simulated Encounters

IF 3.5 2区 医学 Q2 CLINICAL NEUROLOGY
Nicoy Downie MD, Keonna Hyacinth BS, Rachel Aideyan BS, Elizabeth Chuang MD MPH
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Understanding the relationship between empathy and communication requires more targeted measurement.</div></div><div><h3>Abstract</h3><div>Physician implicit racial bias can result in poor communication patterns and inequitable end-of-life (EOL) care. Perspective-taking is a key component of evidence-based bias mitigation strategies. It may function by increasing empathy towards the outgroup. However, the effect of empathy on patient and family outcomes remains unknown.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To assess the relationship between physicians’ empathy and perceived racial discrimination and communication in simulated encounters with Black standardized caregivers.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Physicians caring for seriously ill patients in the hospital completed a simulated encounter with a Black standardized caregiver (patient's daughter). Physicians’ empathy was assessed using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and physicians self-reported their communication skill level. Standardized caregivers completed the Discrimination in Medical Settings and CollaborRATE scales to measure perceived discrimination and communication. We used general linear modeling to evaluate these relationships controlling for physician gender, race, ethnicity and specialty.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Forty-two physicians were included. 22 were women (52%), 15 internists (36%), 14 intensivists (33%) and 7 oncologists (17%). Most were White (23, 55%) or Asian (15, 36%). Four identified as Hispanic (10%). There was a weak correlation (<em>r</em> = 0.24, <em>P</em> = 0.12) between physician empathy and CollaborRATE scores. There were no correlations between physician empathy and perceived discrimination (<em>r</em> = 0.12, <em>P</em> = 0.44) or between physician self-reported communication skills and perceived discrimination (<em>r</em> = -0.05, <em>P</em> = 0.74) or CollaborRATE score (<em>r</em> = 0.01, <em>P</em> = 0.94). These results did not change when controlling for potential confounders.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The lack of correlation between empathy and perceived discrimination does not support empathy as a key target for reducing the effects of implicit bias. However, this study is limited by the small sample size and measurement of global empathy rather than empathy towards a specific out-group. The weak correlation of empathy with CollaborRATE score suggests empathy may affect general communication. More targeted measurement may be required to better understand the relationship between empathy communication outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>References</h3><div>Barnato, A.E. et al. (2009) ‘Racial and ethnic differences in preferences for end-of-life treatment’, Journal of General Internal Medicine, 24(6), pp. 695–701. doi:10.1007/s11606-009-0952-6. Johnson, K.S. et al. (2013) ‘Race and residence: Intercounty variation in black-white differences in hospice use’, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 46(5), pp. 681–690. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2012.12.006. Shih, M.J., Stotzer, R. and Gutiérrez, A.S. (2013) ‘Perspective-taking and empathy: Generalizing the reduction of group bias towards Asian Americans to general outgroups.’, Asian American Journal of Psychology, 4(2), pp. 79–83. doi:10.1037/a0029790. Smith-Howell, E.R. et al. (2016) ‘End-of-life decision making and communication of bereaved family members of African Americans with serious illness’, Journal of Palliative Medicine, 19(2), pp. 174–182. doi:10.1089/jpm.2015.0314. Welch, L.C., Teno, J.M. and Mor, V. 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引用次数: 0

Outcomes

1. Identify the importance of reducing clinician implicit bias in the end-of-life setting.
2. Identify key limitations in the understanding of empathy and its relationship to communication in the end-of-life setting.

Key Message

Clinician implicit bias causes decreased quality of communication in end of life (EOL) care for minoritized patients. Implicit bias is mitigated by perspective-taking which may increase empathy for the outgroup. This small study did not show a relationship between physician empathy and perceived discrimination during a standardized EOL communication. Understanding the relationship between empathy and communication requires more targeted measurement.

Abstract

Physician implicit racial bias can result in poor communication patterns and inequitable end-of-life (EOL) care. Perspective-taking is a key component of evidence-based bias mitigation strategies. It may function by increasing empathy towards the outgroup. However, the effect of empathy on patient and family outcomes remains unknown.

Objectives

To assess the relationship between physicians’ empathy and perceived racial discrimination and communication in simulated encounters with Black standardized caregivers.

Methods

Physicians caring for seriously ill patients in the hospital completed a simulated encounter with a Black standardized caregiver (patient's daughter). Physicians’ empathy was assessed using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and physicians self-reported their communication skill level. Standardized caregivers completed the Discrimination in Medical Settings and CollaborRATE scales to measure perceived discrimination and communication. We used general linear modeling to evaluate these relationships controlling for physician gender, race, ethnicity and specialty.

Results

Forty-two physicians were included. 22 were women (52%), 15 internists (36%), 14 intensivists (33%) and 7 oncologists (17%). Most were White (23, 55%) or Asian (15, 36%). Four identified as Hispanic (10%). There was a weak correlation (r = 0.24, P = 0.12) between physician empathy and CollaborRATE scores. There were no correlations between physician empathy and perceived discrimination (r = 0.12, P = 0.44) or between physician self-reported communication skills and perceived discrimination (r = -0.05, P = 0.74) or CollaborRATE score (r = 0.01, P = 0.94). These results did not change when controlling for potential confounders.

Conclusion

The lack of correlation between empathy and perceived discrimination does not support empathy as a key target for reducing the effects of implicit bias. However, this study is limited by the small sample size and measurement of global empathy rather than empathy towards a specific out-group. The weak correlation of empathy with CollaborRATE score suggests empathy may affect general communication. More targeted measurement may be required to better understand the relationship between empathy communication outcomes.

References

Barnato, A.E. et al. (2009) ‘Racial and ethnic differences in preferences for end-of-life treatment’, Journal of General Internal Medicine, 24(6), pp. 695–701. doi:10.1007/s11606-009-0952-6. Johnson, K.S. et al. (2013) ‘Race and residence: Intercounty variation in black-white differences in hospice use’, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 46(5), pp. 681–690. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2012.12.006. Shih, M.J., Stotzer, R. and Gutiérrez, A.S. (2013) ‘Perspective-taking and empathy: Generalizing the reduction of group bias towards Asian Americans to general outgroups.’, Asian American Journal of Psychology, 4(2), pp. 79–83. doi:10.1037/a0029790. Smith-Howell, E.R. et al. (2016) ‘End-of-life decision making and communication of bereaved family members of African Americans with serious illness’, Journal of Palliative Medicine, 19(2), pp. 174–182. doi:10.1089/jpm.2015.0314. Welch, L.C., Teno, J.M. and Mor, V. (2005) ‘End‐of‐Life care in black and white: Race matters for medical care of dying patients and their families’, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 53(7), pp. 1145–1153. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53357.x.
模拟遭遇中临床医生共情与种族歧视感知的关系
Outcomes1。确定减少临床医生在临终环境中的内隐偏见的重要性。确定理解共情的关键限制及其与临终环境中沟通的关系。临床医生内隐偏见导致少数患者临终关怀沟通质量下降。内隐偏见可以通过换位思考来减轻,换位思考可以增加对外部群体的同理心。这项小型研究并未显示在标准化EOL沟通中医生共情和感知歧视之间的关系。理解同理心和沟通之间的关系需要更有针对性的测量。摘要医师隐性的种族偏见会导致不良的沟通模式和不公平的临终关怀。换位思考是循证偏见缓解策略的关键组成部分。它可以通过增加对外部群体的同理心来发挥作用。然而,共情对患者和家庭结果的影响尚不清楚。目的探讨医生共情与黑人标准化护理人员模拟接触中感知到的种族歧视和沟通的关系。方法在医院护理重症患者的医生与一名黑人标准护理员(患者的女儿)进行模拟接触。采用人际反应指数(IRI)评估医师的共情能力,医师自行报告其沟通技巧水平。标准化护理人员完成了医疗环境中的歧视和协作率量表,以测量感知到的歧视和沟通。我们使用一般线性模型来评估控制医生性别、种族、民族和专业的这些关系。结果纳入42名医生。女性22人(52%),内科医生15人(36%),重症医生14人(33%),肿瘤科医生7人(17%)。大多数是白人(23.55%)或亚洲人(15.36%)。4名西班牙裔(10%)。医师共情与协作率得分呈弱相关(r = 0.24,P = 0.12)。医生同情和歧视之间没有相关性(r = 0.12,P = 0.44)或医生自述沟通技巧和感知之间的歧视(r = -0.05,P = 0.74)或CollaborRATE得分(r = 0.01,P = 0.94)。当控制潜在的混杂因素时,这些结果没有改变。结论共情与感知歧视之间缺乏相关性,不支持共情作为减少内隐偏见影响的关键目标。然而,本研究受限于样本量小和对整体共情的测量,而不是对特定外群体的共情。共情与CollaborRATE得分呈弱相关,提示共情可能影响一般沟通。可能需要更有针对性的测量来更好地理解共情沟通结果之间的关系。参考文献barnato, A.E.等人(2009),“临终治疗的种族和民族偏好差异”,《普通内科学杂志》,24(6),695-701页。doi: 10.1007 / s11606 - 009 - 0952 - 6。Johnson, K.S.等人(2013)“种族与居住地:安宁疗护使用中黑人与白人差异的县际差异”,《疼痛与症状管理杂志》,46(5),第681-690页。doi: 10.1016 / j.jpainsymman.2012.12.006。Shih, m.j., Stotzer, R.和gutisamurez, A.S.(2013),“换位思考和同理心:将对亚裔美国人群体偏见的减少推广到一般外群体。”,《亚裔美国人心理学杂志》,第4期,第79-83页。doi: 10.1037 / a0029790。Smith-Howell, E.R.等人(2016)“患有严重疾病的非洲裔美国人的丧亲者的临终决策和沟通”,《姑息医学杂志》,19(2),第174-182页。doi: 10.1089 / jpm.2015.0314。Welch, l.c., Teno, J.M.和Mor, V.(2005)“黑人和白人的临终关怀:种族对临终病人及其家属医疗护理的影响”,《美国老年医学会杂志》,53(7),第1145-1153页。doi: 10.1111 / j.1532-5415.2005.53357.x。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
8.90
自引率
6.40%
发文量
821
审稿时长
26 days
期刊介绍: The Journal of Pain and Symptom Management is an internationally respected, peer-reviewed journal and serves an interdisciplinary audience of professionals by providing a forum for the publication of the latest clinical research and best practices related to the relief of illness burden among patients afflicted with serious or life-threatening illness.
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