Physician-patient interaction and depression among African-American women: a national study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between physician-patient interaction and depression among African-American women.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
1,411 African-American women completed a mailed 46-item survey on psychological well-being.


METHODS
The independent variables included demographics and depressive symptomatology as measured by the CES-D. The dependent variable was the mean score on an 8-item measure of physician-patient interaction, and other factors associated with physician-patient interaction.


RESULTS
Overall, even after accounting for demographic variables, the higher scores on the CES-D were associated with lower scores on physician-patient interaction (B=1.11, 95% CI=1.06, 1.16). Depression was positively associated with: difficulty in talking to physicians, likelihood of discussing problems with physicians, reporting that a physician had made offensive comments, and the likelihood of changing physicians due to dissatisfaction (all P values <.01).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that depressive symptomatology may be an important factor to consider in physicians' interaction with African-American women.
Scarinci
Isabel C
IC
University of Memphis Center for Community Health, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. scarinci@uab.edu
Beech
Bettina M
BM
Watson
Jennifer M
JM
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States