Preference for same-race health care providers and perceptions of interpersonal discrimination in health care.
This article examines black Americans' preference for black health care providers. Using data from a national survey, we assess how blacks 'perceptions of discrimination are related to preference for same-race health care providers. Overall, the belief that discrimination is frequent in different-race doctor-patient dyads is associated with greater preference for a same-race provider However; the belief that discrimination occurs regardless of a doctor's race reduces preference for a same-race provider Finally, general perceptions of discrimination are distinct from concerns about personally being treated unfairly, and low personal concern about unfair treatment reduces preference for a same-race provider among those who believe that interpersonal discrimination occurs frequently. These results suggest a complex picture of how perceptions of discrimination influence preferred race of health care provider among blacks in the United States.
Malat
Jennifer
J
University of Cincinnati, Department of Sociology, OH 45221, USA. Jennifer.Malat@uc.edu
Hamilton
Mary Ann
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000208:ethnology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011287:Prejudice; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States