Abstract

The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH) is committed to addressing structural racism and implicit bias in meaningful ways that will improve Women's healthcare and reduce health disparities. Structural racism encompasses the ways a society fosters racial/ethnic discrimination through intersecting and reinforcing systems. Structural racism creates differential access to opportunities by race/ethnicity and perpetuates inequities among these groups. Implicit bias derives from an individual’s learned stereotypes and prejudices that automatically and unconsciously influence affect, behavior, and cognitive processes. Implicit bias affects patient–clinician interactions, treatment decisions, treatment adherence, and patient outcomes. Implicit bias in the healthcare setting and structural racism in social, economic, and political systems are intertwined, meaning that both must be addressed to be successful in improving Women's healthcare and reducing health disparities. NPWH advocates for public and institutional policies and practices and evidence-based initiatives that promote health equity and reduce health disparities. We commit to the expanded provision of educational offerings, forums, and other resources to support nurse practitioners who provide Women's healthcare in self-reflection, identifying implicit bias, and making changes in practice that mitigate the effects of bias and structural racism on health outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). As an organization, NPWH is taking deliberate, concrete action to examine our policies and practices to identify and mitigate racial/ethnic bias and discrimination and to promote inclusiveness and antiracism at all levels. We believe it will take all of us both individually and collectively to bring about positive and sustainable change.

Author Details

As a national professional membership organization, NPWH is the nation's leading voice for courageous conversations about women's health. In our clinics and in our culture, women's health nurse practitioners champion state-of-the-science health care that holistically addresses the unique needs of women across their lifetimes. We elevate the health issues others overlook and compel attention on women's health from providers, policymakers, and researchers.

Sigma Membership

Non-member

Lead Author Affiliation

National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, Washington, DC, USA

Type

Position Statement

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Expert Opinion (nationally/internationally recognized)

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

Systemic Racism, Implicit Bias, Racism, Bias, Women's Healthcare, Health Disparities, Healthcare Inequities, Women's Health

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Publisher

The National Association of Nurse Practioners in Women's Health

Version

Publisher's Version

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Review Type

None: Reputation-based Submission

Acquisition

Self-submission

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