title: Measuring African-American parents' cultural mistrust while in a healthcare setting: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  African Americans' mistrust of healthcare is often cited as a cause of racial disparities in health and has been linked to cultural mistrust. African-American parents' level of cultural mistrust while in a general healthcare setting has not been previously measured.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the performance, participant acceptance, feasibility of administration and demographic associations of a measure of cultural mistrust, the Cultural Mistrust Inventory (CMI), in African-American parents seeking healthcare.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional sample of 69 self-identified African-American parents of minor children recruited in a university-affiliated, urban pediatric/family practice outpatient clinic completed an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire containing demographic items and the CMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 91% (n=63), and 49 (78%) -- answered all questions. Measured mistrust did not vary with gender, insurance or education. The CMI's internal consistency was similar to previously published studies of the instrument (alpha=0.92). Parents indicating discomfort with the CMI's questions reported significantly less mistrust than parents who did not indicate discomfort (p=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CMI is feasible to administer in a clinic setting and demonstrates good internal consistency. It can be a useful tool to assess the effect of cultural mistrust on the healthcare decisions African-American parents make for their children. However, when measuring cultural mistrust in a healthcare setting, respondents' comfort with the survey questions should be assessed.
authors.affiliation: Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit (CHEAR), Division of General Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School; 300 N. Ingalls, 6E05, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0456, USA. klmosele@med.umich.edu
authors.forename: Kathryn L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Moseley
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Freed
authors.forename: Charrell M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bullard
authors.forename: Susan D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Goold
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D001290:Attitude; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014481:United States