Consumer dissatisfaction, self-treatment, and health service use in low income African American and white older persons.
Differences in dissatisfaction with health care (problems with providers, geographic access and appointment availability), self-treating symptoms, personal health responsibility, and health service use were investigated in low income African American and White older persons. Data on these topics were collected from 103 African Americans and 101 Whites and analyzed using analysis of covariance and multiple regression. After controlling for variables that typically explain health service use, African Americans reported significantly more dissatisfaction with health care (p < .01) and greater personal health responsibility (p < .01) than Whites, but did not differ in the degree to which they self-treated or used health care. Significant predictors of health service use were declining health status and increasing levels of self-treatment for African Americans (R2 = .18) and declining health status and increasing age for Whites (R2 = 23).
Aroian
Karen J
KJ
Wayne State University College of Nursing, Department of Anthropology, USA. aroian@wayne.edu
Vander
Wal Jillon S
WJ
Peters
Rosalind M
RM
Tate
Nutrena
N
D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001900:Boston; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000208:ethnology*; D011203:Poverty / Q000208:ethnology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology*