Evaluating how gender and race affect the diagnosis of diseases more common in women.
Implicit Bias in the Evidence: An Evaluation of Female-Predominant Disease
This study looks at how doctors' hidden biases about gender and race might affect their diagnoses for diseases like lupus that mainly impact women, aiming to ensure that everyone gets the right diagnosis no matter who they are.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10686886 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates how implicit biases related to gender and race can influence the diagnostic decisions made by clinicians for diseases that predominantly affect women, such as lupus. By examining the use of cognitive shortcuts in decision-making, the study aims to understand whether identical clinical presentations lead to different diagnoses based solely on a patient's sex, gender, or race. The research employs experimental designs to assess diagnostic errors and biases, ultimately seeking to improve the accuracy of diagnoses for female-predominant diseases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research include individuals diagnosed with or suspected of having female-predominant diseases, particularly lupus.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions that have clear diagnostic tests or those not affected by implicit bias in diagnosis may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more accurate and equitable diagnoses for women and other underrepresented groups in healthcare.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has indicated that implicit biases can affect clinical decision-making, suggesting that this approach has the potential for significant insights.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Simard, Julia F — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Simard, Julia F
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.