Fifty-two percent of U.S. patients said healthcare providers dismiss their described symptoms, according to a new MITRE-Harris poll.
The survey was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of MITRE from Sept. 27-29 among 2,047 U.S. adults 18 and older, according to a Dec. 20 news release.
Among Black and Hispanic respondents, the number who said they experience bias and doubt was even higher, at 6 in 10 people. These patients made comments such as, "My healthcare provider is biased against me based on their attitude, words or actions." Also, half of survey participants reported they have experienced a healthcare provider "assuming something" about them without asking,
In addition, people living with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, those with a chronic healthcare condition and caregivers who manage healthcare access for someone else are "all much more likely to experience bias, doubt or language barriers when seeking treatment," according to the release.
Juliette Forstenzer Espinosa, a senior Medicare, Medicaid, and Affordable Care Act marketplace strategist at MITRE, said in the release the survey findings confirm "unacceptable disparities in patient experience along racial and ethnic lines, for the LGBTQ+ community, and for those who are managing chronic health conditions or navigating the world with disabilities.
"And these categories are, of course, intersectional," she added. "There’s no question there is work to do to better serve all populations at the point of care."