Brief report: lack of a race effect in primary care ratings among women veterans.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of race on primary care quality and satisfaction among women in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).


METHODS
We used a mail survey to measure primary care quality and satisfaction. We focused on 4 primary care domains: patient preference for provider, interpersonal communication, accumulated knowledge, and coordination. We performed univariate analyses to compare variables by race and multiple logistic regression analysis to examine the effect of race on the probability of reporting a perfect score on each domain, while adjusting for patient characteristics and site.


RESULTS
Black women were younger, unmarried, educated, of higher income, and reported female providers and gynecological care in VA more often. In regression analysis, race was not significantly associated with any primary care domain or satisfaction. Gynecological care from VA provider was associated with perfect ratings on patient preference for provider (odds ratio [OR] 2.0, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.3, 3.1), and satisfaction (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2, 2.3), while female provider was associated with interpersonal communication (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4, 2.6).


CONCLUSIONS
While demographics and health experiences vary by race among veterans, race had no effect on primary care ratings. Future studies need to determine whether this racial equity persists in health outcomes among women veterans.
Bean-Mayberry
Bevanne
B
Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA 15240, USA. bevanne.bean-mayberry@va.gov
Chang
Chung-Chou
CC
Scholle
Sarah Hudson
SH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology; D000368:Aged; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000208:ethnology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011320:Primary Health Care; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D014728:Veterans; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology