Cardinale Smith

Cardinale Smith

Discipline: Physician
Funding awarded to: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

The Role of Implicit Bias on Outcomes of Minority Patients with Advanced Cancer

The aim is to evaluate the association between oncologists’ implicit bias and racial/ethnic disparities on objective measures of communication content and quality during discussions about cancer and to assess the association of implicit bias on racial/ethnic disparities in oncologists’ assessment of pain, and pain control, among patients with advanced solid cancer. The knowledge obtained by this project will generate pilot and feasibility data that will inform the re-submission of an R01.

“In disparities research, much of the focus has been on describing the problem. Furthermore, when interventions are elucidated that can have an impact on improving the care of minority patients, dissemination is often slow or non-existent. My goal with this program of research is to move beyond description and into implementation. Moreover, participation in this program will help me to build national relationships and collaborations for dissemination of knowledge and to help influence organizations and create culture change. This is a critical next skill for me to ensure that I can leverage my accomplishments to date and in the future in a way that will allow for dissemination and ensure uptake for populations that are most in need. Ultimately, I aspire to help shape and influence national policy regarding the most effective means of delivering quality and culturally appropriate palliative care to patients with cancer.”