Reducing bias among health care providers : experimental evidence from Tanzania, Burkina Faso, and Pakistan

Author / Creator

Wagner, Zachary

Available as

Online

Summary

Bias among health care providers can lead to poor-quality care and poor health outcomes, and it can exacerbate disparities. We use a randomized controlled trial to evaluate an intervention to reduc...

Bias among health care providers can lead to poor-quality care and poor health outcomes, and it can exacerbate disparities. We use a randomized controlled trial to evaluate an intervention to reduce family planning provider bias towards young women in 227 clinics in Tanzania, Burkina Faso, and Pakistan. The intervention educated providers about bias towards young women, facilitated communication about bias with other providers, and offered non-financial public awards to clinics with the least biased care. After 12 months, the intervention led to less-biased attitudes and beliefs among providers and more comprehensive counseling. Clients also perceived better treatment at intervention clinics compared to control clinics. Despite reductions in reported bias, we find mixed evidence regarding changes in method dispensing.

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