The Relationship Between Health Care Professionals' Intersecting Disability and Race Implicit Attitudes and Their Beliefs About People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

BACKGROUND

This study's aim was to examine the relationship between health care professionals' intersecting implicit attitudes about disability and race, and their beliefs about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

METHODS

We had 784 health care professionals participate in the Intersecting Disability and Race Attitudes Implicit Association Test (IDRA-IAT) and answer questions about their beliefs about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (January 2025-March 2025).

RESULTS

More positive attitudes about white nondisabled people, and more negative attitudes about disabled white people and/or disabled people of colour were associated with health care professionals being more likely to believe people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are more difficult patients, are more likely to exhibit 'challenging' behaviours, and have a lower quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

Implicit biases about disability and race impact health care professionals' beliefs about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and are a barrier to health equity.