Unhealthy Interactions: The Role of Stereotype Threat in Health Disparities

Abstract

Stereotype threat is the unpleasant psychological experience of confronting negative stereotypes about race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or social status. Hundreds of published studies show how the experience of stereotype threat can impair intellectual functioning and interfere with test and school performance. Numerous published interventions derived from this research have improved the performance and motivation of individuals targeted by low-ability stereotypes. Stereotype threat theory and research provide a useful lens for understanding and reducing the negative health consequences of interracial interactions for African Americans and members of similarly stigmatized minority groups. Here we summarize the educational outcomes of stereotype threat and examine the implications of stereotype threat for health and health-related behaviors.

The strangest of all encounters: racial and ethnic discrimination in US health care

“…Studies of unconscious bias in healthcare have focused largely on Black Americans, and while this focus should not be abandoned, the recent growth of non-Black racial/ethnic minorities (e.g., Latinos/as and Asians) in the US calls for broadening the lens on the problem of racial/ethnic discrimination in US health care. In addition, US research on discrimination in health care still focuses largely on race 8,29,33,44 (though studies focused on anti-Latino/a discrimination are slowly increasing 37 ) to the neglect of gender and social class. Available evidence 22 suggests that the gender of the physician can play an important role in clinical decision-making; so might the gender of the patient.…”

What you can't see can hurt you: How do stereotyping, implicit bias and stereotype threat affect Māori health?

“…Aronson et al (2013) have applied stereotype threat to the health arena and suggest this accounts for why African American and other minority patients who have experienced bias in other settings can be particularly sensitive to discrimination in their dealings with health providers. Because stereotype threat promotes mistrust, minority patients may discount their health providers' advice if they see it is discriminatory.…”

“…Because stereotype threat promotes mistrust, minority patients may discount their health providers' advice if they see it is discriminatory. Moreover, they may even avoid seeking healthcare if they fear providers will stereotype them negatively (Aronson et al, 2013).…”

“…Minority patients who anticipate poorer treatment from health providers may enter healthcare settings hypersensitive to discrimination. Aronson, Burgess, Phelan and Juarez (2013) have observed that, when wary of being stereotyped by health providers, patients may inadvertently reinforce the negative stereotypes of their group due to anxiety and fear of being judged. This process is known as stereotype threat.…”

Racismo e Saúde: um corpus crescente de evidência internacional

“…Outra evidência indica que a ativação do estigma de inferioridade pode aumentar a ansiedade, reduzir a autorregulação e prejudicar os processos de decisão conduzindo a comportamentos de risco como compulsão http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/15174522-017004004 alimentar e agressividade (Inzlicht; Kang, 2010). Segundo, a ameaça de estereótipo pode prejudicar a qualidade da relação médico-paciente, por afetar a capacidade de um indivíduo de comunicar-se, podendo levar à a falta de atenção às informações fornecidas pelo profissional de saúde, baixa adesão a tratamentos e demora ou dificuldade em obter a atenção médica necessária (Burgess et al, 2010;Aronson et al, 2013).…”