Diversity and Stereotypes Flashcards
What is true of different groups of people?
- Different health problems
- Different lifestyles and behaviours that impact on health
- Want different types of health services
- Hold different health beliefs
- Engage in different health behaviours
- Have different health needs
What do the different health beliefs held by different groups of people impact?
How they interact with the health service
What must sometimes be done to ensure equality of treatment?
Treat patients differently
What are the duties laid out regarding diversity and stereotypes in Good Medical Practice?
- Must treat patients fairly and with respect, whatever their life choices and beliefs
- Must not unfairly discriminate against patients by allowing your personal views to affect adversely your professional relationship with them, or the treatment you provide or arrange
- This is a legal requirement, not just good practice
- Must treat colleagues fairly and with respect
- Need to be aware of how your own values, beliefs, and stereotypes about different groups may impact on your treatment of patients and interactions with colleagues
What factors must you not discriminate against?
- Patients age
- Colour
- Culture
- Disability
- Ethnic or national origin
- Gender
- Lifestyle
- Marital or parental status
- Race
- Religion or beliefs
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
- Social or economic status
What does Good Medical Practice say regarding a doctors personal beliefs?
You are allowed to have personal beliefs, but must still provide a good standard of care
What must be done to provide a good standard of care when it goes against your personal beliefs?
- Must explain to patients if you have a conscientious objection to a particular procedure
- Must tell them about the right to see another doctor, and make sure they have enough information to exercise this right
- In providing this information, you must not imply or express disapproval of the patients lifestyle, choices, or beliefs
What must you do to ensure you are treating your colleagues fairly and with respect?
- Must not bully or harrass them
- Must not unfairly discriminate against them by allowing your personal views adversely affect your professional relationship with them
- Should challenge colleagues if their behaviour does not comply with guidance
What will you not be expected to do as a doctor in order to provide good health care?
Agree with patients, or approve of them
What must you do as a doctor in order to provide good health care?
Understand patients and respect their rights
What are stereotypes?
Generalisations we make about specific social groups, and members of those groups
Are stereotypes correct?
Often broadly correct, but erroneous
What can’t be assumed with stereotypes?
Every member conforms to the stereotype
Why do stereotypes occur?
Due to how we store memories and organise knowledge
What model of psychology are stereotypes related to?
Cognitive model
How does the cognitive model of psychology say that knowledge is stored?
As mental representations, organised in schemata
What are schemata?
Groups of related information
What is the result of the way knowledge is stored, according to the cognitive model of psychology?
Make assumptions on new situtations based on information the brain has built up
What is the function of stereotypes?
- Save ‘processing power’
- Environment is more predictable
- Allow anticipation
- Avoids ‘information overload’
What is the problem with stereotypes?
Makes sense of the world, but may not take into account diversity
Why do members of a group get organised into schemata?
Because they share some characteristics
What are the problems with schemata?
- ‘Shortcut’ overlooks diversity
- Have the tendency to remain unchanged, even in the face of contradictory information
- Prone to emphasis on negative traits
What are stereotypes a form of?
Social schemata
What are groups a source of?
Self-identities and self-esteem
