‘Somebody that looks like me’ matters: a qualitative study of black women’s preferences for receiving sexual health services in the USA

Townes, Ashley; Guerra‐Reyes, Lucia; Murray, Maresa; Rosenberg, Molly; Wright, Brittanni; Long, Lauren; Herbenick, Debby

doi:10.1080/13691058.2020.1818286

Cited by 21 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Although Black women can implement these tools to better communicate their needs to their providers, the work of improving patient-provider communication is not solely their responsibility. Given the patient-provider power differential (Townes et al, 2020a, 2020b), the historical context of anti-Black medical racism (Washington, 2006), and the understandable distrust some Black women have of the medical system at large, the onus to improve patient-provider communication and ensure that Black women patients are heard and understood is ultimately on providers and the healthcare systems in which they function. To this end, providers can make strides to improve patient-provider communication by (1) initiating conversations about sexual pain and discomfort, (2) recognizing the biases they hold and working to mitigate their impact on patient care by undergoing training on gendered racism in healthcare, (3) adding questions about sexual pain to intake forms, and (4) following up on patient responses to said questions during the actual visit.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In studies exploring Black women’s patient-provider communication in prenatal care found that critical aspects of quality patient-provider communication included active listening skills, asking psychosocial questions, being treated with respect, showing compassion, providing a continuity of care, asking psychosocial questions, delivering information clearly, establishing trust and closeness (Bennett et al, 2006; Lori et al, 2011). As a result of discrimination and the heightened death rate of Black women in medical settings (CDC, 2021a, 2021b), some Black women prefer to have a Black woman provider to increase their comfort and improve their healthcare experiences, including conversations about sexual health (Townes et al, 2020b). However, having a Black woman medical provider is often not an option for those that live in rural and less ethnically diverse areas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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“Why Would I Talk To Them About Sex?”: Exploring Patient-Provider Communication Among Black Women Experiencing Sexual Pain

Thorpe

Iyiewuare

Ware³

et al. 2022

Qual Health Res

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Ineffective patient-provider communication poses a potential health risk to Black women if medical providers are not addressing their needs or concerns. Additionally, less than half of OBGYNs report asking their patients about sexual difficulties, which limits women’s opportunities to disclose their experiences of sexual pain. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore Black women’s experiences of patient-provider communication about sexual pain (reoccurring unwanted genital pain). Specifically, we aimed to describe the pathway from sexual pain disclosure to treatment among N = 25 premenopausal Black women living in the southern United States who were experiencing sexual pain. Using constructivist grounded theory, open-ended responses to six interview questions related to healthcare experiences, treatment, and patient-provider communication were qualitatively analyzed and categorized to form a conceptual framework of patient-provider communication about sexual pain. Five key categories emerged related to Black women’s experiences with their medical providers regarding sexual pain: (1) provider preferences, (2) healthcare experiences, (3) reasons for non-disclosure, (4) provider responses to sexual pain, and (5) treatment for sexual pain. Useful strategies to improve patient-provider communication are presented for both patients and providers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Why Would I Talk To Them About Sex?”: Exploring Patient-Provider Communication Among Black Women Experiencing Sexual Pain

Thorpe

Iyiewuare

Ware³

et al. 2022

Qual Health Res

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“…Providing personalized care requires acknowledgement of patients' cultural needs and expectations. 64,65 Clinicians, and healthcare systems in which they practice, are responsible for addressing implicit bias and structural racism in delivery of cancer care, 66,67 including sexual health care. Though sexuality in cancer patients has been studied for over 70 years, greater representation of racial and ethnic diversity is essential for meaningful progress in addressing sexual health in survivorship in a comprehensive and inclusive way.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual health and intimacy after cancer treatment in women of color: A systematic review

et al. 2022

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Objective: Cancer diagnosis and treatment can significantly affect women's sexual health and intimacy, leading to diminished quality of life in survivorship. The perspectives and experiences of women of color (WOC) with cancer are critical to inform comprehensive, inclusive sexual wellbeing care in survivorship. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize contemporary literature describing sexual wellbeing experiences of WOC treated for cancer. Methods: A comprehensive search of CINAHL, PubMed, Embase and PsycInfo and Scopus identified studies that addressed sex and intimacy of U.S. WOC treated for cancer published in the last 15 years. The authors identified emergent themes from the literature through thematic content analysis.Results: Eighteen studies (10 qualitative, 8 quantitative) met the inclusion criteria, all with breast or gynecologic cancer samples. Studies include African American (13), Asian American (3), and Latina (10) women, as well as Non-Hispanic Whites and 'other' race/ethnicity women. Overarching themes identified were: 1) impacts of treatment on sexual health and body image, 2) process of accepting and overcoming, 3) value of an engaged and supportive partner, and 4) current clinical practice and barriers to sexual health care. Conclusions: WOC experience changes in sex and intimacy after cancer treatment, and experiences of sexual function, sexual communication, and sexual healthcare are often shaped by sociocultural experiences. An understanding of WOC's sexual health and intimacy after cancer treatment can inform inclusive, culturally responsive sexual health interventions.

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“…Evaluating the impact of patient and practitioner race and gender concordance on perinatal health is an important area of inquiry that has key implications for building an equitable perinatal health care system for Black women and birthing people. Prior investigations have found that many Black patients prefer practitioners that share their racial background 1–3 . Black women have attributed positive benefits to racial concordance including greater comfort, connection, and safety, and more effective information sharing 2,3 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Prior investigations have found that many Black patients prefer practitioners that share their racial background. [1][2][3] Black women have attributed positive benefits to racial concordance including greater…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond “patient‐provider race matching.” Black midwives clarify a vision for race‐concordant care to achieve equity in Black perinatal health: A commentary on “Do Black birthing persons prefer a Black health care provider during birth? Race concordance in birth”

Jeffers

Canty

Drew³

et al. 2023

Birth

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Racial concordance has been identified as a potential strategy to improve the perinatal health of Black women and birthing people by mitigating implicit bias and improving mutual trust, healthy communication, and satisfaction. In a recent article published in BIRTH: Issues in Perinatal Care, Bogdan‐Lovis et al. surveyed 200 Black women to determine whether they possessed a race and gender practitioner preference for their birth practitioner and examined whether race and gender concordance was associated with greater birth satisfaction and perceived respect, trust, practitioner competence, empathy, and use of inclusive communication. In this commentary, written by a group of Black midwives, we respond to the study and offer a vision for race‐concordant care that encompasses cultural safety provided in a community‐based setting.

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‘Somebody that looks like me’ matters: a qualitative study of black women’s preferences for receiving sexual health services in the USA

Cited by 21 publications

References 47 publications

“Why Would I Talk To Them About Sex?”: Exploring Patient-Provider Communication Among Black Women Experiencing Sexual Pain

“Why Would I Talk To Them About Sex?”: Exploring Patient-Provider Communication Among Black Women Experiencing Sexual Pain

Sexual health and intimacy after cancer treatment in women of color: A systematic review

Beyond “patient‐provider race matching.” Black midwives clarify a vision for race‐concordant care to achieve equity in Black perinatal health: A commentary on “Do Black birthing persons prefer a Black health care provider during birth? Race concordance in birth”

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