Alana Gentleman

Unmasking Gender Bias: Pain Disparities in North American Emergency Rooms

Biography

Alana Gentleman is a fourth-year Professional Communication student at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her capstone project explores gender bias in the treatment of women’s pain in North American emergency rooms, with a focus on how communication influences care.

Details of Project

This capstone project explores gender bias in the treatment of women’s pain in North American emergency rooms, where stereotypes often lead to dismissal, inadequate care, and delayed treatment. Through a literature-based analysis of key studies, the research reveals consistent disparities in how women’s pain is perceived and managed, including longer wait times, less access to pain medication, and dismissive communication. These patterns often result in medical gaslighting.

The project also examines how intersecting factors like race, and disability further amplify these inequities. To address these systemic issues, the study recommends implicit bias training, standardized pain assessment tools, and improved communication practices to support more equitable, patient-centered care.

Lightning talk

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