Bedside Manner Wins Over Ethnicity
Quality of medical care wins over ethnicity when Puerto Rican women choose a doctor
MONDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthScoutNews) -- Quality of medical care, empathy and respect are more important than ethnicity when Puerto Rican women living in the United States choose a doctor, a Penn State study says.
"Only one-fifth of all Latino patients who see a Latino physician are influenced in their choice by the physician's ethnic background, and only 40 percent are influenced by the ability of the physician to speak Spanish," says study co-author Dr. R.S. Oropesa, an associated professor of sociology and demography at Penn State.
Puerto Ricans, the second largest Latino subgroup in the United States, follow this trend, the study says. It found that Puerto Rican women aren't more satisfied with Latino physicians compared to non-Latino physicians.
But their degree of satisfaction is heavily influenced by the settings where they receive medical treatment, medical staff characteristics, delivery and content of care, and outcome, the study says.
The findings were to be presented today at the annual conference of the American Sociological Association.
For this study, the researchers surveyed 1,219 Puerto Rican women about their satisfaction with obstetrical care in U.S. medical facilities.
"Two aspects of process that are especially important are the continuity and content of care. Continuity of care has to do with whether or not prenatal care was received from the same or different physicians. The content of care is reflected in the services rendered and advice given about vitamins, nutrition, breastfeeding and so forth," says study co-author Dr. Nancy S. Landale, professor of sociology and demography at Penn State.
More information
The National Alliance for Hispanic
Health offers more insights into the Latino community and health care.
SOURCE: Penn State University, news release, Aug. 19, 2002
Copyright © 2002 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.