Physicians’ Experiences and Opinions Regarding Strategies to Improve Care for Minority Patients

Authors

Jared W. Klein, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Lindsay O. Schubiner, Barnard College
Margaret Gadon, Medicine and Public Health, American Medical Association
Matthew K. Wynia, University of ChicagoFollow

Keywords

Discrimination in medical care; Ethnic group; Health care disparities; Minorities – Medical care; Minority; Physicians; Social status – Health aspects

Disciplines

Demography, Population, and Ecology | Health Services Research | Public Health | Race and Ethnicity

Abstract

Objective: To assess the views and experiences of a select group of physicians interested in minority health issues regarding promising strategies to improve minority care. Methods: Physicians were asked to respond to a 17-item survey assessing the level of agreement, frequency of implementation of and interest in learning more about 7 promising strategies for alleviating disparities. Results: Most physicians (75-95%) agreed that the 7 proposed strategies could be useful to improve the quality of care provided to minority patients, but only 40-66% of physicians had implemented the strategies sometimes or often in their practices. Between 22 and 29% of physicians were interested in learning more about 6 of the 7 strategies, preferably by CME, seminars and newsletters. Conclusion: Physicians concerned with minority health issues agree that commonly suggested strategies for eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health care could be useful, but have difficulty implementing such approaches.

Recommended Citation

Klein, Jared W.; Schubiner, Lindsay O.; Gadon, Margaret; and Wynia, Matthew K. (2008) "Physicians’ Experiences and Opinions Regarding Strategies to Improve Care for Minority Patients," Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice: Vol. 2: Iss. 2, Article 5.
Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/jhdrp/vol2/iss2/5