Systematic discrimination is not the aberrant behavior of a few but is often supported by institutional policies and unconscious bias based on negative stereotypes (Baily et al, 2017).
Individuals operating within the context of racial bias may be unaware of the greater complexity aside from their own interactions (Fouad, 2017); for example, a health care provider may believe they are delivering high-quality care to all patients regardless of their race and backgrounds, but the institutional context could have unequal resources, policies, and practices that support an unintentional bias, thus carrying over to provider and patient (Freeman, 2017). This gap in understanding how providers can become decrease bias is critical for developing better care for African American patients and decreasing infant mortality rates (McLemore et al, 2018).
