The Experience of Discrimination and Black-White Health Disparities in Medical Care

Abstract

The current study of Black patients focuses on how discrimination contributes to racial disparities in health. The authors used a longitudinal methodology to study how perceived past discrimination affects reactions to medical interactions and adherence to physician recommendations. In addition, they explored whether these reactions and/or adherence mediate the relationship between discrimination and patients’ health. The participants in this study were 156 Black patients of low socioeconomic status at a primary care clinic. Patients completed questionnaires on their current health, past adherence, and perceived past discrimination. Then, they saw a physician and rated their reactions to the visit. Four and 16 weeks later they reported on their adherence to physician recommendations and overall health. Perceived discrimination was significantly and negatively associated with patient health, reactions to the physician, and adherence. Path analyses indicated that adherence mediated the relationship between discrimination and patient health, but patient reactions to the interaction did not.

Culturally appropriate health services for Black Canadians

“…Patients completed questionnaires before their visit with a doctor on their health and adherence to treatments, and 4 and 16 weeks after the visit patients reported their adherence to physician recommendations and overall health. 2 The results revealed that perceived discrimination within doctor-patient relationships was significantly and negatively associated with patient wellbeing, reactions to the physician and adherence. 2 Additionally, 63% of Blacks in a study with Bird and Bogart in 2001 perceived discrimination in their interactions with their health care provider.…”

“…2 The results revealed that perceived discrimination within doctor-patient relationships was significantly and negatively associated with patient wellbeing, reactions to the physician and adherence. 2 Additionally, 63% of Blacks in a study with Bird and Bogart in 2001 perceived discrimination in their interactions with their health care provider. 2 The mistrust that Black populations have with physicians lead to later screenings for medical conditions, less frequent checkups, and overall poor health such as obesity and diabetes, and the development of behaviours such as smoking.…”

“…It does this by hindering access to medical care, adherence to treatments and perceptions of health care systems. 2 Black Canadians make less money on average, have higher rates of poverty and lower education, which often result in chronic diseases and damaging behaviours such as excessive smoking, due to the stresses of racism, income levels and exploitation. 3 Therefore, it can be reasoned that programs and services that bring light to the gaps in medical care would benefit these groups when the social determinants of health are considered for specific racialized groups.…”

“…2 Additionally, 63% of Blacks in a study with Bird and Bogart in 2001 perceived discrimination in their interactions with their health care provider. 2 The mistrust that Black populations have with physicians lead to later screenings for medical conditions, less frequent checkups, and overall poor health such as obesity and diabetes, and the development of behaviours such as smoking. Although the scope of this paper does not discuss specifically how marginalization of racial groups affects health, it is important to be aware of possible socioeconomic factors and social justice issues behind health disparities.…”

Job Attitude to Job Involvement – A Review of Indian Employees

“…Finally, we investigate the consequences of the level of correspondence between implicit and explicit attitudes on employee well-being. While there has been very little work done on the relationships between implicit and explicit attitudes (Penner et al, 2009) and their consequences for how individuals feel and behave, it stands to reason that a divergence between implicit and explicit attitudes might have important, long-term effects on employee wellbeing. It is important to note that because implicit attitudes frequently operate outside of conscious awareness, cognitive dissonance is not necessarily triggered when they fail to correspond with their explicit counterparts.…”