Online Program

Roundtable

This interactive 1.5-hour scientific session will focus on the use of reflective pedagogy to teach about and to assess unconscious bias that impacts health outcomes. Bias, stereotyping, prejudice, and clinical uncertainty on the part of healthcare providers may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare (IOM, 2004). Blair and colleagues (2011, 2002) assert that unconscious biases are malleable and associations may be unlearned. Successful interventions include counter-stereotypic training through mental imagery and negation training, intergroup training, perspective-taking, and immersion or increasing opportunities for contact (Wittenbrink, 200; Devine, 2012). Reflection and more recently, critical reflection, has long been used as a method for engaging learners in self-assessment and to change and promote attitudes (IOM, 2033; Reeves, 2013; Sandars, 2009; Thistlethwaite, 2010; Mann, 2009; Browna, 2013). Although reflection has been considered good practice in medical education, there are few articles on use of reflective practices in public health practice (Jayatilleke, 2012). MPH students are expected to be able to differentiate among linguistic competence, cultural competency, and health literacy in public health practice (ASPH), however these topics tend to be covered solely in elective courses, or only cursorily in required courses (e.g., no readings, embedded in single lecture). In contrast, accreditation of public health agencies specifically calls for health education and health promotion activities to take into account health literacy, and to use culturally appropriate materials (PHAB). Even Tier 1 (entry level) public health professionals are expected to be able to identify the health literacy of the populations they serve (CLAPHP). Following a brief introduction, panelists and the audience will engage in a moderated discussion. Participants will work in teams of 4-6, engage in a 15 minute individual critical reflection writing exercise using trigger questions and using a pair-share strategy, and identify themes from their own written narratives. These activities will enrich the large group panelist guided discussion at the end on use of critical reflection to teach about bias/stereotyping in health professional education, analysis of reflective narratives as a qualitative assessment tool and potential research agendas to evaluate curricular impact when using reflection. Resource tables will be available to share materials.

Session Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to discuss how to reduce racial bias among health care providers 2. Participants will be able to discuss the use of reflective practices in public health practice 3. Participants will be able to describe how bias/stereotyping can be addressed in cultural competency education of health professionals

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)