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To reduce implicit bias, one can engage in continuous self-reflection and mindfulness to recognize and challenge personal biases. This can involve actively seeking out diverse perspectives and experiences, as well as participating in bias awareness training and education. To heighten awareness of the influence of culture and language in healthcare, one can actively seek to learn about different cultural practices and how they intersect with healthcare. This may involve seeking out cultural competency training, engaging with diverse communities, and learning to effectively communicate with patients who have different language and cultural backgrounds.

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One way I can reduce my own implicit bias is by more education and personal self-reflection. Educating in terms of not just limiting oneself to reading about different cultures or backgrounds, but also by interacting and having conversations with people. Learning more about other people's experiences naturally gives way to an open mind. This is an instance where knowledge is power because through more educating, it allows for more self-reflection. Questions that can be asked are "what stereotypes do I still hold?" or "how can I improve self-awareness on this topic?" These are two ways I believe are important to apply even within healthcare settings and healthcare system. The more awareness and education there are on implicit biases, the more ways a person or group can even find solutions to change and reduce these biases.

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As I read this prompt on how to reduce implicit bias, one thing came to mind immediately and I think it is simple. It is to basically put yourself into the shoes of who you are dealing with. Making a habit out of this will allow you to have empathy and will help you shift your perspective and help alter the judgements you may be feeling especially in the event where you may not agree with the person or when you might not understand why an individual is saying or doing that they are doing or saying. An example might be a health care individual letting a family member know that their patient is terminally ill. Instead of being a robot and telling them coldly the news, they may try to understand what would happen if they were told this news about someone they cared about. This will allow for more empathy in the job and will allow for them to change how they handle situations like these.

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Implicit bias is done unconsciously. Therefore, I must make active choices that help avoid implicit bias. If a professional who works with patients is not culturally competent, then the quality of care for that patient is affected. The patient will be viewed and judged based on stereotypes and other generalized attitudes. This negatively affects the patient and provider relationship, which in turn affects the care of that patient. One way to reduce my implicit bias is to learn about different cultures and avoid stereotyping.

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Reducing Implicit Bias is a lifelong commitment to education and re-evaluation

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Reducing Implicit Bias is a lifelong commitment to education and re-evaluation

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Implicit biases, although they are done unconsciously and without intentional control, play a great role in overall patient outcomes. It is not limited to race, but rather, to several characteristics such as gender, gender identity, age, as well as physical appearance. Moreover, implicit biases go beyond just provider-to-patient interactions, but are deeply routed within health care systems and the ways they are organized, such as the faculty and resources made available. For myself personally, there are a number of instances where I was implicitly biased against patients at the clinic where I work. For instance, I can recall a time when I almost dismissed an elderly man from getting the proper treatment he needed. To provide a bit of context, I work at a clinic where the majority of our patient demographics consist of seniors over the age of 65 who come in to receive pain injections. After getting his injection, one particular male patient around age 70 was complaining of feeling a little itchy. I had heard this many times before, and dismissed his concerns saying that he should not worry about it too much. He kept complaining, so I finally said to wait for 5 more minutes, and if it continues to persist, we could get it checked out. Sure enough, he was having an allergic reaction to the injection and needed immediate medical intention. Thankfully, his reaction was not severe and was pretty mild. However, this incident made me realize that I wrongly assumed something about this man due to his older age and that I was harboring implicit bias against him. Some ways to reduce implicit bias is to first recognize it within yourself and be willing to change. This can come through educating yourself and going out of your way to reflect and learn about the countless number of implicit biases that exist. One great way to do this is to fill out the cultural competence form like we did in class. However, it should not stop there. In order to upkeep and further reduce implicit biases, one should also continue to re-evaluate themselves to make sure that they are keeping up to date with information and doing your best to make patients feel properly cared for.

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Many of us are unconsciously participating in implicit bias everyday. Though there are so many ways that a person can tackle this issue, one way I think that I can reduce my own implicit bias is through individuation. By looking at each person as an individual that stands alone, it will encourage my mind to look away from the stereotypes that so often control conversations and the way one thinks of another. To heighten my awareness of how I view the influence of culture and language in health care, I would like to focus on perspective taking. It is so important that we reframe form saying things to others that we wouldn't like to be said back to us. Perspective taking is not just about the words you use, but how you speak to another person. In healthcare, we are bound to come across language barriers with a patient. For this reason, it is especially important that we treat them as an individual and that we don't speak down to them because their first language is not English. This will drastically change the way healthcare is perceived, as well as improve the effectiveness of healthcare workers and their health-related advice.

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Expanding Opportunities for Interacting with Individuals from Different Groups

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Expanding Opportunities for Interacting with Individuals from Different Groups

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In order to better understand and appreciate the cultural diversity of others, it is important for individuals to broaden their social circle and attend events that attract people of various racial and ethnic groups, gender identities, sexual orientations, and other groups. By doing so, you are enabling yourself to learn about different ways of life, beliefs, and customs that may be unfamiliar, and therefore develop a deeper appreciation for the differences that exist among people. This can ultimately lead to improved communication and understanding between healthcare providers and their patients, resulting in more effective and compassionate healthcare services.

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Implicit bias, which we might not even notice, affects how we see and treat people. To fight it, we should learn about cultures different from our own. This helps us understand and accept things that might seem strange to us. In healthcare, where lots of different cultures meet, there are often unfair judgments. For example, if a patient doesn't speak English, they might not get the same good care. Sometimes, people think they're not smart or don't have insurance, so they ignore them. Some healthcare workers are doing something about this. At places like Kaiser, they're learning simple medical words in other languages, like Spanish, to help their patients better. By learning about and respecting different cultures, we can be fairer and help everyone get the care they need.

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Perspective taking or “Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes” is one way to reduce implicit bias. Taking a different standpoint from a perspective which can help one reflect the needs of others to help them grow towards a better quality of life. At the same time, listening, connecting, and communicating effectively with others can heightened one's awareness about other cultures and languages. Such as where I volunteer at my local food pantry, creating bonds through conversations with people who come to the food pantry is a great way to know the communities needs and for the food pantry to find different ways we can support more my community such as finding resources.

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One way to reduce my own implicit bias is to first understand and acknowledge my own biases. When making a change the first step is knowing what the problem and is then taking the steps to change. Reflection and awareness specifically are two things I can actively incorporate more often especially when i interact with people of different cultures, beliefs, religion, etc. Growing up in a predominantly asian community I have grown very comfortable with people of my culture or ethnicities that are similar to mine. I find that one implicit bias I have found myself doing now reflecting is that I tend to befriend mostly asian Americans. For a while I just found a sense of comfort with doing that. My implicit bias has prevented me from being exposed to many other cultures and communities without me really being aware of it. However, I think being in college and being around people of many different backgrounds has helped grow as a person. Taking the time to get out of my comfort zone to build connections and relationships with different communities and culture is important for everyone to experience.

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A very helpful tool I have taken away from the course materials for this week is the online quiz that allows to you dive into identifying what your subconscious biases are. The idea from the video to take an inventory of who you surround yourself with is eye opening and helps with self awareness on this topic. The first step in making a change is to first identify the problem. Then, you can make a conscious effort to correct the problem or explore further education on “what” and “why”. Being a public health major has given me the tools to identify any biases I have and consequently correct them. Now, I can help others do the same as well! This brings me healthier relationships and helps others work together in a more progressive way.

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We should educate healthcare workers from the start of their education to reduce implicit bias. It is widespread for many to associate specific symptoms or pain levels with a race. Certain races are often seen as exaggerated and complain a lot. These biases can occur without thinking about them, so stop and think about what you will say. Everyone should be open-minded and not judge people. Self-awareness is critical. It will help you be neutral and treat everyone the same. Many of us create biases on people based on interactions we have had with an individual. Working in healthcare made be come more aware of certain things I did not pay attention to before. Which is why I try to educate myself more or simply just ask questions if I sm not sure

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One way to reduce implication bias is to attend cultural competency training workshops or seminars. These events can provide valuable insights into how different cultures and languages work. When interacting with individuals from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, it is important to engage in open and respectful communication. Actively listening to their perspectives and experiences is important, as is being mindful of how cultural nuances can affect their livelihood and decision-making processes. Additionally, it is a good idea to regularly review and update knowledge of cultural competency guidelines and best practices to reduce implication bias.

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Implicit bias is often a subconscious bias that affects our understanding and decisions unconsciously. In order to reduce our implicit bias we have to educate ourselves on cultures other than our own. Becoming more aware of different cultures, we can reduce our bias by normalizing things we may not see in our own culture. There are many implicit biases within the healthcare system as we are in a cultural melting pot. One of the largest disparities in the healthcare system is language. Patients that don't speak English are often not given the same quality care if there is not an immediate person that speaks their language. There is a bias that non-english speakers are not as smart or do not have health insurance so they are often disregarded and forgotten until it becomes convenient to help them. Some healthcare workers I worked with at Kaiser learned simple medical phrases in Spanish as the area they worked in had predominately hispanic patients. This allowed them to reduce their bias and help out their community. By immersing yourself in these cultures you are able to be more culturally aware and reduce your implicit bias.

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Increasing contact with people from different backgrounds

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Increasing contact with people from different backgrounds

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One way to reduce my implication bias is to increase contact with people from different backgrounds. When we interact with others, we will be more exposure to other culture and will understand their values, beliefs, and their challenges. We will then be aware of some of the stereotypes that are made and will be able to reduce them. We should treat people how we want to be treated so we should not judge people base on their background, if we do not want others to judge us. As an Asian American, there are many stereotypes' people make of me because of how I look. They would make assumptions of me without getting to know me. So, when we get to know other groups, we can see we all have different challenges that we have to overcome and stop the negative comments together.

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Self-reflection plays a crucial role in addressing implicit biases. It is important to regularly examine your own assumptions and beliefs, questioning their origin and validity. Engage in diversity training or workshops to gain valuable insights and strategies to recognize and overcome biases in various contexts. Open-minded conversations, which means being willing to listen and learn from others, are also important when considering alternative viewpoints without immediate judgment. By being self-aware and open-minded, you can help create a more inclusive space and reduce your implicit bias.

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Exposure to diverse groups and cultural competence training

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Exposure to diverse groups and cultural competence training

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It’s important for people to reduce their implicit biases when it comes to working with different social groups because everyone should be treated with equality. People can have their implicit bias without even knowing. Every social group is unique in their own ways based on their beliefs, ideas, and challenges they have encountered. It is not our place to judge because we don’t know what they are going through and as people in public health we need to be open minded to ensure we are being fair. One way to reduce our implicit bias is to expose yourself to diversity by seeing many different experiences and perspectives. It’s important that we interact with people who have different cultures, backgrounds, and identities which will help us reduce our implicit bias because we are aware of the different groups and reduce stereotypes.

In addition to reducing our implicit bias, it's important for us to understand the influence of culture and language in healthcare. As health professionals it is our job to educate yourself, reduce implicit bias, and expose yourself to diverse groups. We need to know how to have cultural competence and ensure people are comfortable enough to trust health officials. One way to help us understand is by taking cultural competence training whether it's for school or in a workplace. This will make sure we know how to interact with people of different cultures and how to approach them appropriately so they know they can trust what we are saying. We need to make sure we do the training so our knowledge is up to date so we can offer proper strategies and medical care for them.

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A lot of the implicit bias we experience comes from our upbringing in a society that tends to rely on harmful stereotypes about people who are different from us. When we grow up and have more exposure to others, we are able to realize that these negative stereotypes are not inheritably true. If we want to combat the implicit biases that are ingrained into ourselves, we have to consciously learn about other cultures and people and embrace the differences in our diversity as humans. This knowledge allows us to see reasoning behind cultural practices that can impact the healthcare a person seeks out, and also allows us to find a middle ground if possible.

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One way I can reduce my own implicit bias is by seeing situations from a different perspective. As a part of my internship, I get to work with different communities in Orange County. I engage with the age. ranges from 6 to 50 years old and different ethnicities. When communicating with these communities I can have open conversations that allow me to understand from their perspective. Understanding how these communities view different situations can benefit me by being inclusive and having more empathy for them. This challenges me to understand different cultures and take into consideration their emotions. In addition, this encourages me to reflect on any implicit biases and stereotypes I have.

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One way to reduce implicit bias is by practicing active engagement in cultural competence. Active engagement is an important factor in mitigating implicit bias because it requires consistency and discipline in order to rewire your brain to unlearn implicit bias. Because implicit bias is based on habits ingrained by repetition of certain thoughts and perspectives, actively unlearning those habits will also require repetition. The way I try to reduce my own implicit bias is to take opportunities where I can actively listen to different experiences and perspectives open-mindedly. This allows me to be a part of discussions that are not as easily accessible and to expand my knowledge about these different groups. I find this very important for others to practice, especially in the healthcare setting because healthcare providers interact with many different types of people from varying backgrounds it is crucial to have that unbiased, empathetic outlook.

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One way to reduce implicit bias is to engage in self-awareness. Self-awareness plays an important role in reducing implicit bias because it involves recognizing and acknowledging our own prejudices and biases. Meaning actively examining and understanding our own thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. When it comes to implicit bias, self awareness allows us to recognize and acknowledge the biases that exist within us. In order to heighten awareness, one way is educating ones self about different cultures and their health care practices. Actively understanding can lead an impact on culture diversity in healthcare settings. For example, it would avoid any stereotypes/assumptions because this tends to lead to biased misunderstandings and discrimination. Expanding in one's knowledge can heighten awareness of cultural influences in healthcare.

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As a student leader in the Housing and Resident Engagement community at CSUF, I continuously engage with residents while diminishing social status. My student organization plans events for the entire housing community. Therefore, we expect all different types of students to come to our events as guests. They may have different ethnicities, religions, sexes, and social statuses. One way I can reduce implicit bias would be to continue using the technique of partnership-building outside of the university's grounds, as people should not be entitled because of their skin color, and I should continue to collaborate with people without any intention to put them on a pedestal.

Additionally, one way I can heighten my awareness of how I view the influence of culture and language in health care is by actively listening and learning about people's recent experiences with their checkups. For example, I may have to ask people of different ethnicities, Bengali, Mexicans, or Vietnamese. In my dad's experience (we are Mexican), he still has monthly checkups for his high cholesterol and heart palpitations, as he had a heart attack back in 2021. Nurses in the department treated my dad with formal care as I served as his direct translator and actively asked questions to learn ways to increase his well-being as he became weak after the incident. Although my experience with the Filipino nurses on the floor was great, there are not many similar stories shared in my Latino community, as many are not educated enough on particular health subjects. Language and educational barriers are two obstacles that may instigate unconscious bias, as people might take the shortcut to keep non-English speakers waiting longer in the waiting room and treat English speakers first. Still, it is essential for people working in health care to assess the situation and change their behavior, as the purpose of health workers is to help people in these environments and not to increase the risk of health complications in the communities they work to serve.

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Being fair to everyone is a fundamental principle in mitigating implicit bias. Fairness involves treating individuals equitably, irrespective of their background or characteristics. By consciously practicing fairness in all interactions, one can challenge preconceived notions and stereotypes that may contribute to bias. This involves consistently examining decisions and actions to ensure they are based on merit, rather than influenced by unconscious prejudices. Furthermore, to heighten awareness of the influence of culture and language in healthcare, individuals can actively engage in regular self-reflection. Taking the time to critically assess one's assumptions, beliefs, and communication styles in the context of diverse cultures allows for a more nuanced understanding of patients' needs. Seeking out ongoing education, staying informed about cultural competency best practices, and actively seeking feedback from diverse perspectives are additional ways to enhance cultural and linguistic awareness in healthcare settings.

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Increasing opportunities for contact with individuals from different groups and understanding each patient's culture.

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Increasing opportunities for contact with individuals from different groups and understanding each patient's culture.

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Actively seeking to reduce implicit bias is crucial, especially in healthcare settings, because these biases significantly affect our interactions with patients and their quality of care. When healthcare providers fail to address their implicit biases, this fosters discrimination against groups, leading to a lack of trust in healthcare providers among patients. To reduce my own implicit bias, I aim to increase opportunities for contact with individuals from different groups. This means engaging in activities, joining clubs or organizations, or attending cultural events that attract individuals from diverse backgrounds. Also, I can increase exposure to diverse populations through volunteering that helps diverse and underserved communities or traveling to different countries. While I have a diverse social circle, I can also broaden my professional network through networking with diverse professionals to understand not only their cultures but also their unique perspectives and experiences. As a result, I can become more open-minded and empathize with others. One way that I can heighten my awareness of how I view the influence of culture and language in healthcare is to have an understanding of the cultures that patients come from through cultural humility. As a caregiver, I often come across a diverse group of individuals with unique backgrounds, histories, beliefs, and values. It is my duty to ensure people feel heard, supported, and empowered to achieve optimal health and well-being. This involves setting aside preconceived notions and instead, actively listening to patients and understanding where they are coming from. At the end of the day, I have no idea what someone may be going through, so it is best to try to put myself in their shoes and learn from their lived experiences.

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Increasing opportunities for contact with individuals from different groups

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Increasing opportunities for contact with individuals from different groups

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To effectively diminish my implicit biases, I plan to adopt a multifaceted strategy that primarily focuses on increasing contact with individuals from diverse groups. This involves actively seeking diverse environments and engaging with people from various backgrounds, cultures, and lifestyles. I could do this by joining new social groups, attending cultural events, or volunteering for causes that serve diverse communities, these interactions can help with my understanding and appreciation of diversity. By immersing myself in new experiences and listening to different perspectives, I can challenge my own preconceptions and foster a more inclusive mindset. This would create a more meaningful change in my attitudes and behaviors rather than simply employing something like counter-stereotypic imaging.

Furthermore, while I recognize the potential benefits of counter-stereotypic imaging, which involves envisioning individuals as opposites of stereotypes to break down preconceived notions, I am also aware of its limitations. I think this can sometimes lead to inadvertently reinforcing other stereotypes and feel like it fails to address the underlying biases or the reasons why someone holds these stereotypes. It seems like a surface-level solution that may not lead to long-term changes in attitudes. Thus, my approach will prioritize direct engagement and learning from diverse experiences over surface-level exercises like counter-stereotypic imaging.

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Educating oneself to be more self and socially aware. 

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Educating oneself to be more self and socially aware. 

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To reduce implicit bias means to accept any and everyone for who they are regardless of the color of their skin, the culture they practice as well as the language they speak. One way that I can reduce implicit bias would be to be more open minded on how I view people who are different from me. I was born and raised in the Philippines up until the age of 6 where I immigrated to the United States, so for most of my life, I only saw and met people who looked and sounded just like myself. Immigrating, especially to the US, opened up my eyes to the diversity that exists and is alive and breathing here today. It is kind of what makes the US so different from all the other nations in that we come together as a collective whole from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. While English is our universal language here, there is also a wide array of languages spoken that people shouldn’t feel ashamed of but rather proud of. This brings me to talk about acculturation, which is a way of accommodating and accepting that people have different needs when it comes to the language they speak, the foods they eat and the way they do certain things. In my PUBH 320 class, my professor had us watch a video that focused on the wrong and right way of acculturation. One doctor didn’t bring in his own translator for a Hispanic family and thus relied on a family member to accurately translate. This caused both parties to feel frustration as they didn’t know exactly what each other felt and the doctor was very close-minded on how to treat his patient. The problem was that he only saw her as just any other patient and not for her who she was and her culture included. That is the problem with healthcare at times is that we often neglect different cultural backgrounds and needs of the patient. The other doctor we watched, however, represented implicit bias as she was more gentle with the patient, brought her own interpreter from her office and practiced more empathy with the patient. She took the time to actually acknowledge that it won’t be easy for her patient to give up ethnic foods right away, but gave a list on how to at least incorporate nutrition into them. This shows being culturally, socially and personally

aware of a patient’s needs especially in such a critical area such as a healthcare where lives are on the line.

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Educate Yourself and Be Mindful Of Others 

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Educate Yourself and Be Mindful Of Others 

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There are many different steps that we can take in order to reduce our own implicit bias's towards people. One of the most important things we can do is to educate ourselves and make sure we are aware of other peoples cultures and their own personal beliefs. It is especially critical for someone who works in healthcare to be mindful of others differences and the multitude of different cultures that there are in the World. As someone who has worked in healthcare setting, it is so important to make sure you continue to educate yourself on peoples cultures and their personal beliefs because those can have a huge impact on their healthcare plan. Culture plays a huge role in our personal identity and how someone may or may not want to be treated. Personally, I know that I need to work on continuing to educate myself about different cultures because it is critical to be respectful and mindful of others. It is important to me that the patients that I work with feel heard and seen and are treated with respect and dignity that I would want my family members or myself to be treated with.

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As an Asian American, I have likely experienced implicit biases directed towards me. However, I've also found myself in situations where I've judged someone too quickly based on their appearance. To address this, I need to recognize these thoughts when they arise and take a moment to empathize with the person in question. In a previous class, I watched a scenario video depicting a healthcare provider displaying implicit bias while treating a patient. Because of these assumptions, the patient didn't receive the quality of care they deserved, leading to an uncomfortable experience. This shouldn't happen, not just in healthcare, but in life overall. Surrounding oneself with diverse individuals and taking the time to educate oneself about various cultures, values, religions, sexual orientations, and more can help. Personally, I know I'd feel hurt if someone judged me so quickly, so I must practice self-awareness and actively counteract these thoughts.

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Reducing implicit bias means working to stop unfair judgments we make without even realizing it. It is like judging someone based on their looks or where they are from without meaning. However, there are ways we can learn to recognize and stop these unfair thoughts. I usually take a moment to think about different types of people and self-reflect. Are there times when I judge someone unfairly because of their race, gender, or background? Being honest with yourself is the first step. Learning about bias is important; we need to find out what implicit bias is and how it affects us. There are lots of articles and videos online that can help you understand it better. Also, trying to learn from people who are different from you through Reading books, watching movies, or talking to people with different backgrounds and experiences helps. Putting yourself in other people's shoes can help you understand them better and stop your unfair thoughts. Staying informed also helps in grounding yourself, being grateful for what you have, and realizing what truly matters in life. This is done by watching the news and paying attention to what's happening worldwide, such as racism, sexism, and other unfairness, that make you understand them better. Something that personally helps me a lot is talking to my friends, family, and teachers about my thoughts and actions. They can help me see if I'm being unfair without realizing it. Learning to control our feelings can help us be fairer to others. The most important thing that we all should do is to use what we've learned to make the world a fairer place. The solution is to stand up against unfairness and treat everyone with respect and kindness, and you would like to be treated by others.

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One way to reduce my implication bias is identifying when I have had a stereotypical thought about someone. Although it is something I am not proud to admit it, I have been quick to judge people before and have made an effort to change that behavior. I have worked on this behavior by identifying when I made a stereotypical judgment and adjusting that thought by reflecting on how it improper to judge someone I do not know because everyone has their own personal experiences that define them. After developing this habit, I do not find myself making these stereotypical judgments. I currently work in a healthcare and meet a variety of different people with different backgrounds, age, ethnicities, sexual orientation, and other groups. I believe that because I meet so many people everyday and I am able to learn about different cultures, it has diversified my perspective and it has made me more empathetic. One way I can heighten my awareness of how I view the influence of culture and language is taking more time to learn about different cultures on my own and asking people I meet at work about their own personal experiences relating to how they have faced implicit bias in healthcare, so that I am able to learn from those experiences and be more aware overall.

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Treat and see everyone as their own individual. 

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Treat and see everyone as their own individual. 

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One way I can reduce my own implicit bias is by using one of the strategies mentioned in the web article. I believe the individuation strategy would help since it allows for the person to see the individual as an actual individual and person then the stereotype your mind has already put in place based on gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and physical appearance.  Individuation takes the person’s personality and past experience to have a real and genuine perception of the person rather than using a stereotype associated with just their appearance.  One way I can heighten my awareness of how I view the influence of culture and language in healthcare is to be more understanding how both culture and language can present barriers for information or methods of care that is offered for them. At times the methods are not culturally appropriate so it’s important to be mindful of that. Language barriers are a common problem in healthcare so explaining a medication or treatment option should be done in the simplest and most understandable way if a translation is not available.

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Increasing contact with people from different groups 

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Increasing contact with people from different groups 

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One way that we can reduce implicit bias as well as improve our awareness is by surrounding ourselves with people from different ethnic backgrounds, religion and sexual orientation. This is one way to become familiar with different cultural norms and taboos which will help people improve or rethink any possible biases that they could possibly have. Being able to take in different views of life will always be something that is beneficial because it will open a persons mind on how to address things not only in a friendly manner but also can be used in someones professional life such as the medical field, where you deal with patients from all walks of life. Being able to better adapt and understand the differences that people have will allow for someone as a medical profession to know how to give the best advice and guidance.

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I work in healthcare, and I am constantly reframing my perspectives and interactions with patients to make them feel as comfortable as possible. Not because they are patients, but because they are people and we all come from different backgrounds. My thoughts are to treat people how I would like to be treated, and also think of how I would like others to treat my family members if they were seen by someone with a different social and cultural background. I also love to learn about other cultures and traditions. Reframing my perspective and interaction allows me and the patient to build a patient-to-caregiver relationship that establishes trust and respect.

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One way to reduce my own implicit bias is through mindfulness techniques in order to become more aware of my thoughts and reaction. One way to practice mindfulness techniques are responding to bias-inducing situations with curiosity and openness rather than reacting impulsively. By cultivating a non-reactive stance, I am able to create space to consider alternative perspectives and responses. Another way is to practice active listening during interactions and meetings. It's important to be fully present and attentive to what others are saying without letting preconceived notions or biases cloud my understanding. By reflecting on situations where biases may have influenced my judgements or decisions, I can consider alternative perspectives.

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Seek feedback from your colleagues and supervisors, and take constructive criticism. 

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Seek feedback from your colleagues and supervisors, and take constructive criticism. 

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Reducing implicit bias is essential for being a more respectful, educated human being. One way to do this is through educating myself of the latest research and best practices related to implicit bias in healthcare and daily life. As a hospital assistant, I am communicating with patients daily and must be aware of all of the correct ways to address patients. By participating in training sessions from my hospital, I am able to learn the best ways to handle patients. Many times people address patients and use practices based off of their looks. This is usually not the case as people do not depict their cultural and religious beliefs through their appearance. Another essential aspect of reducing implicit bias is by seeking feedback and different perspectives. By seeking feedback by colleagues and supervisors and even patients, you are able to learn new methods and take constructive criticism in order to better yourself. Being self-aware of patient’s reactions like eye contact, space, and touch is one way I try to implement respectful treatment to all. I have also made mistakes like assuming people are Mexican if they speak Spanish. I have learned from these missteps and ensure they will not happen again. By actively engaging in these strategies, healthcare professionals like myself can work towards reducing implicit bias and enhancing their awareness of the influence of culture and language in healthcare delivery.

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Do for Others that You would want done for yourself!

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Do for Others that You would want done for yourself!

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One effective way to reduce implicit bias is through education and self-awareness. Engaging in activities such as diversity training, workshops, or reading literature on implicit bias can help individuals recognize their own biases and understand how they may impact their thoughts and actions. Additionally, practicing mindfulness techniques, such as meditation or reflection, can increase self-awareness and help individuals identify and challenge their biased thoughts and beliefs.

As an LVN working in a SNF, it's important to acknowledge the presence of implicit bias and actively work towards being a great nurse to everyone, regardless of their background, identity, or circumstances. I always reflect on my own biases and assumptions, I engage in cultural competency training programs to enhance my understanding of diverse cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and practices (if offered), and most importantly, I always cultivate empathy and practice active listening when interacting with the residents/patients.

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Familiarize yourself with the unfamiliar 

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Familiarize yourself with the unfamiliar 

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One way that I can reduce my own implicit bias by spending more time around groups I don’t usually interact with. An option would be to volunteer in a community that I am not too familiar with. This would allow me to get to know particular groups better, and hopefully in the process break down, or at least diminish, any biases I previously had. One way that I can heighten my awareness of the way I view the influence of culture and language in healthcare is by always keeping in mind that these two factors can have an enormous impact on one’s experiences in healthcare. For instance, a person’s culture can affect their perception of illness and death. Additionally, there might be cases in which healthcare terminology is not accurately translated into the language a patient understands, so it is critical to be cognizant of this and take precautions to ensure that the patient is being told correct information to improve their health.

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Perspective taking — “Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes”

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Perspective taking — “Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes”

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MY EXPERIENCE/BACKGROUND: I am a white American woman who has grown up comfortably with very few struggles or barriers that have prevented me from accomplishing/accessing things. As someone who also works in a dental office every day with patients and coworkers of various different backgrounds, cultures, languages and ethnicities, I have reflected on my experience and realize that this experience has made me an incredibly open-minded person when it comes to bias and understanding people's backgrounds. Majority of my friends come from a different background from me so I've been exposed to cultural differences for most of my life which probably also contributes to me trying my best to not having an intentional bias. After thinking about this assignment and trying to pick an implicit bias I have and I figured out: it's about me trying to put myself in someone else's shoes (more specifically, a patient) when it comes to accepting, finding value in, and paying for treatment. If the dentist that I work for told me that I needed treatment, I would have urgency to get it taken care of in a timely manner and be fine paying for whatever is needed (obviously I trust my doctor due to the quality of work I have seen first-hand, as well as the ethicalness of it, which NOT all dentists have). So when some patients say "I'll need to wait a couple of months before I can afford this treatment," it kind of sets me back for a moment because I wonder: How can this person not see the urgency of this? How do they not have even some sort of emergency funds somewhere for healthcare needs? We show real time images, xrays, and videos right in front of patients of their own mouth/teeth and still, sometimes it fails to motivate them to make a decision. Of course I'm aware of socioeconomics, pay inequalities, and economic issues, but I believe this is where my fault is.

REDUCE MY BIAS: I think that because I have friends, neighbors, and coworkers of different backgrounds, being able to ask them WHAT they would do in this situation and WHY, it could help me identify and comprehend their motivators and concerns from their point of view. I'd like to learn about things that I may not have considered myself when it comes to making these decisions. I believe I'm at a disadvantage because I have not gone through things that minorities or people of other backgrounds have and it hinders my ability to automatically understand and see from their eyes. It is almost like the priviledge that I have provides me with the luxury of being able to be more ignorant in these situations, which is not good.

HEIGHTEN MY AWARENESS: Some people may have experienced things or have a culture that affects them in a way in which they may not be able to afford care OR that they do not prioritize healthcare or specific types of it due to cultural differences. Maybe there is terminology or language barriers that prevent a patient from fully understanding the extent of some diagnoses and treatments. I think I could do my best to influence culture and language barriers by going out of my way to learn more about the mindsets of others and by taking the extra time to make sure patients feel heard and to clarify things they may not understand. Maybe patients are too embarassed to say they do not understand due to language barriers, but if I were to create a safe space for them, I could provide them with the opportunity of opening up about concerns. As for financial issues, we offer CareCredit, memberships, and various payment options to try and help patients who cannot afford treatment, so trying to present that option to patients more frequently could help a lot with financial barriers.

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Do not judge a person by their appearance. Every individual has a unique culture we should respect. 

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Do not judge a person by their appearance. Every individual has a unique culture we should respect. 

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One way I could reduce my own implicit bias is to look at everyone as who they are individually. I could use the strategy "Individuation" where I will not think of the stereotypes by how the person looks, but rather look at them by their personality and see what kind of person that individual is from there.

Learning about different cultures is one way I can heighten my awareness of how I view the influence of culture and language in healthcare. By being educated on different aspects of cultural ways, not only will I be able to know more about other cultures but I will not be so quick to judge and be ignorant of them. This way, in healthcare, there will be equity. We should not judge a person by their appearance but rather embrace it and learn more from them.