Why and How Six Aligning Forces for Quality Communities Have Focused on Reducing Disparities

Abstract

Public reports on provider performance can help guide consumers' health care decisions, yet consumer awareness and use of public reports is low and may be even lower among racial/ethnic minorities. In this qualitative research article, we describe activities implemented by multi-stakeholder alliances in six U.S. communities to increase minorities' awareness of public reports. We also describe alliances' motivation for deliberately targeting greater awareness among minorities. We found that alliances' decision was influenced by the proportion of minorities and perceptions of race-based disparities in care in the community. To raise awareness, alliances collaborated with minority-serving organizations to (a) advertise their web-based public report using ethnic media outlets, (b) present their public reporting website during health education outreach events held in minority communities, and (c) translate their public report into multiple languages. We conclude that community partnerships are a promising mechanism for targeting efforts to increase awareness of public reports in minority communities.

Sources of Traffic and Visitors’ Preferences Regarding Online Public Reports of Quality: Web Analytics and Online Survey Results

“…Prior research found that African American survey respondents were less likely than white survey respondents to report seeing comparative quality information for hospitals and doctors [28], even though once minorities are aware of reports, they are more likely to use the information [28,29]. To the degree that use of quality information drives health outcomes, disseminating the information to vulnerable populations, as some communities are already trying to do [30], is one approach to avoid widening existing disparities. Additional research is needed regarding whether vulnerable populations have a choice of provider and, if so, the most effective way to disseminate and encourage the use of the quality information to this group [11].…”

Self-Efficacy, Outcome Expectations, Group Social Support, and Adherence to Physical Activity in African American Women

“…A limitation of the primary study was that participants had higher education levels than the median norm for Chicago (Yonek & Hasnain-Wynia, 2011). Thus, findings may not represent all African American women in Chicago.…”

Increasing Consumer Engagement by Tailoring a Public Reporting Website on the Quality of Diabetes Care: A Qualitative Study

“…Second, we had an overrepresentation of low-income and racial minorities in our sample compared to the expected population. However, our sample represents a high-priority population as a proposed strategy to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes by making health information, such as public reports available to racial and ethnic minorities [39]. …”