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National Healthcare Disparities Report, 2003

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Racial and Ethnic Differences in Patients' Perceptions

Measure Racial Difference[1] Ethnic Difference[2]
  Black Asian NHOPI AI/AN >1 Race NHB Hispanic
Patient-Provider Communication
People with provider who generally listens and gives needed information about health/health care[3] Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care3 Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
People with provider who usually asks about medications and treatments other doctors may give3 Selected population has better access than the comparison population Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care3 Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care   Selected population has better access than the comparison population Selected population has better access than the comparison population
Adults whose providers always listened carefully to them[4] Selected population has better access than the comparison population Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care4 Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability   Selected population has better access than the comparison population Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Adults whose providers always explained things in a way they could understand4 Selected population has better access than the comparison population Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care4 Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability   Selected population has better access than the comparison population Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Adults whose providers always showed respect for what they had to say4 Selected population has better access than the comparison population Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care4 Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability   Selected population has better access than the comparison population Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care
Adults with one or more indicators of poor communication at their last visit[5] Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability Selected population has worse access than the comparison population   Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Patient-Provider Relationship
People not satisfied with quality of care received from provider3 Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population3 Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
People not confident in provider's help when they have a medical problem3 Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability3 Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care
Adults whose providers always spent enough time with them4 Selected population has better access than the comparison population Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care4 Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Adults who rate their health care in the past year <6 on a scale from 0 to 104 Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Selected population has worse access than the comparison population4 Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability   Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Adults not treated with a great deal of dignity and respect5 Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care
Adults not involved as much as wanted in decision-making5 Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care   Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Adults not with as much time as wanted with doctor5 Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Adults with incident in past two years when they did not follow doctor's advice5 Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care
Adults with family member who got sick due to doctor or hospital mistake5 Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has better access than the comparison population
Cultural Competency5
Adults who believe they would have gotten better care if different race/ethnicity Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability   Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Adults who felt treated with disrespect because of race/ethnicity Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability   Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Adults who do not strongly agree that doctor understands background and values Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Ability of Provider to Address Patient Needs (continued)

Measure Racial Difference[6] Ethnic Difference[7]
  Black Asian NHOPI AI/AN >1 Race NHB Hispanic
Health Information[8]
Adults who did not find prescription bottle very easy to understand Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Adults who did not find information from doctor's office very easy to understand Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Adults who do not use Web for health information Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care   Selected population has worse access than the comparison population Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Adults who do not use printed material for health information Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Adults who do not call their doctor for health information Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care   Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Key to Quality of Health Care Tables
Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care: Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care
Selected population has better access than the comparison population: Selected population has better access than the comparison population
Selected population has worse access than the comparison population: Selected population has worse access than the comparison population
Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability: Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability

[1] Compared with whites.

[2] Compared with non-Hispanic whites.

[3] Source: MEPS, 1999. This source did not collect information on Asians and NHOPIs separately but in aggregate as Asian or Pacific Islander. This source did not collect information for >1 race.

[4] Source: MEPS, 2000. This source did not collect information on Asians and NHOPIs separately but in aggregate as Asian or Pacific Islander. This source did not collect information for >1 race.

[5] Source: Commonwealth Fund Health Care Quality Survey, 2001. This source did not collect information for >1 race separately

[6] Compared with whites.

[7] Compared with non-Hispanic whites.

[8] Source: Commonwealth Fund Health Care Quality Survey, 2001. This source did not collect information for >1 race separately

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