Course may be a factor in doctor-patient communication, style
The race seems to be a factor in how doctors communicate with their patients, carried out according to a new study of primary care visits by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Medical Faculty. They found that physicians are less likely to participate actively in their black patients in conversation about the conversations they have with their white patients. This finding is surprising because other studies have shown a significant association between participation in medical visits and better health care.American Journal of Public Health. Our study suggests that to the lack of participation and involvement of patients during medical visits contribute to health disparities, Lisa said A. Cooper, MD, MPH, senior author of the study and
associate professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Healths Department of Epidemiology and health economics and management. The researchers analyzed audiotapes and questionnaire data from 458 patients, 61 physicians in Baltimore, Maryland, Washington, DC visitNorthern Virginia and the metropolitan region in the years 1998 and 2002.Blacks percent more than their patients, and only 43 percent more than their white patients - meaning that the relationship between doctor patient feedback comments were more during the visits by black patients. In addition, African-American patients and their doctors seemed less interested, committed and friendly to white patients and their physicians. Our results show that doctors tell their black patients and white patients, said Dr.
Cooper.are less likely to report positive experiences in health care. Previous studies have shown that patient-centered communication is associated with better recall of information, compliance and satisfaction with care outcomes and health. Dr. Cooper, who also has an appointment with the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said that the mechanisms that contribute to health disparities by race in the complex health care
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