Data Analysis: What were some of the findings, for example, if there were any hypotheses asked, were they supported? Deconstructing Unconscious Bias in the

Deconstructing Unconscious Bias in the Health Care Workforce: An Iterative Mixed
Methods Approach

© 2021

Danielle D. Jones

M.P.H., University of West Florida, 2010

B.S., University of Missouri Kansas City, 2002

Submitted to the graduate degree program in Health Policy and Management and the

Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

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Dissertation Committee Chair: Tami Gurley, PhD

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Joanna V. Brooks, PhD, MBE

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Megha Ramaswamy, PhD, MPH

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Christopher Crenner, MD, PhD

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Jill Peltzer, PhD, APRN-CNS

Date Defended: 03/29/2021

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The dissertation committee for Danielle D. Jones certifies that

this is the approved version of the following dissertation:

Deconstructing Unconscious Bias in the Health Care Workforce: An Iterative Mixed

Methods Approach

____________________________________
Dissertation Committee Chair: Tami Gurley, PhD

____________________________________

Graduate Director: Tami Gurley, PhD

Date Approved: 04/13/2021

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Abstract

The prevalence of unconscious bias within the healthcare workforce is not well

understood. Likewise, not much is known about the potential impacts of unconscious

bias training interventions on the healthcare workforce as they have not been included

in studies evaluating effectiveness. This constrains any ability to evaluate the potential

for unconscious bias training as a means to reduce patient healthcare disparities. This

dissertation uses an iterative mixed methods approach to examine the prevalence of

unconscious bias, factors associated with individual mitigation activities, and the impact

on the healthcare workforce. Results demonstrate that the unconscious biases of

healthcare workers differ significantly from those of the general population and are

highly variable across geographic regions and provider types. Likewise, there is some

evidence to indicate that factors beyond that of the individual (i.e. type of practice and

community) may potentially influence physicians’ decisions to participate in unconscious

bia