Implicit gender bias in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes type-2: a vignette study.

AimsImplicit gender biases (IGB) are unconscious evaluations about a person based on gender. IGBs of healthcare providers may affect medical decision making. This study investigated whether the genders of patients and general practitioners (GPs) and IGBs influence diagnostics and treatment decisions in the context of diabetes mellitus type-2 (DMII). Methods99 GPs participated in the study. Implicit Associations Tasks were used to measure two IGBs, related to lifestyle (i.e., women have a healthier lifestyle than men) and communication (i.e., men are less communicative than women). Clinical decisions regarding DMII were measured with vignettes, that included a fictional male or female patient case. ResultsFemale GPs exhibited a significant lifestyle IGB (p