Healthcare Staff Perspectives and Experiences of Racism’s Impact on Care for Hospitalized Black Adults: A Qualitative Study

Background

Racial inequities in hospital-based care for Black adults are well-documented, yet the mechanisms by which interpersonal and institutional racism contribute to these inequities remain poorly understood. Non-clinician hospital staff, such as patient care assistants, spend significant time with patients and are often members of minoritized communities, yet their perspectives on racism in the hospital are rarely studied.

Objective

To investigate non-clinician staff members’ perspectives on how interpersonal and institutional racism affect hospital-based care for Black adult patients.

Design

Qualitative study using in-depth, semi-structured interviews and community-based participatory research principles.

Participants

Fifteen hospital staff members (patient care assistants, custodians, transporters, and ward clerks) from a large, urban, academic medical center on the West Coast. Participants self-identified as Black (27%), Hispanic (20%), and/or Asian (53%).

Approach

Semi-structured interviews explored respondents’ perspectives on racism in the hospital. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. A Community Advisory Board of eight Black individuals provided feedback and member checking.

Key Results

Five themes emerged from the data: (1) staff members experienced workplace racism; (2) racial stereotypes appeared to contribute to inequitable care for Black patients; (3) institutional factors, such as inadequate staffing, were felt to contribute to inequitable care; (4) individual factors, such as going “above-and-beyond” job responsibilities, helped mitigate inequitable care; and (5) institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) interventions received mixed appraisals, with staff often excluded from initiatives.

Conclusions

Inequities in hospital-based care for Black patients may have roots in complex interactions between individual biases, workplace discrimination, institutional factors, and systemic underinvestment in non-clinician staff. Respondents perceived that institutional factors, such as inadequate staffing and demanding workloads, amplified racist beliefs, resulting in inequitable care for Black patients. Hospitals should invest in non-clinician hospital staff and address structural factors impeding staff members’ ability to provide equitable care to all patients.

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