• Ramona Benkert, Rosalind M Peters, Rodney Clark, and Kathryn Keves-Foster.
• College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. ramonabenkert@wayne.edu
• J Natl Med Assoc. 2006 Sep 1; 98 (9): 1532-40.

AbstractDiscriminatory treatment of African Americans in healthcare is well recognized, yet the literature is unclear on the specific role that perceived racism and mistrust play in the patient-provider relationship. The purpose of this study was to test a mid-range theoretical model entitled Perceptions of Racism and Mistrust in Health Care (PRMHC). This model hypothesized that perceived racism influences cultural mistrust, which affects trust in providers--and these combined psychosocial aspects of healthcare affect satisfaction with the care received. One-hundred-forty-five African-American subjects participated in structured interviews to collect demographic and psychosocial data. Provider data was obtained through chart audits. In a group of low-income African Americans in two primary care clinics, perceptions of racism and mistrust of whites had a significant negative effect on trust and satisfaction. Perceived racism had both a significant, inverse direct effect on satisfaction as well as a significant indirect effect on satisfaction mediated by cultural mistrust and trust in provider. Structural equation modeling analysis supported the hypothesized theoretical relationships and explained 27% of the variance in satisfaction with care. The findings add to the existing literature by enhancing our understanding of the complex perspectives on trust and overall satisfaction with care among African-American patients. Results suggest that improving health outcomes for African Americans requires a broader understanding of cultural competence, one that addresses societal racism and its impact on provider-patient relationships.

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