J Natl Med Assoc
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Recent trends in healthcare policy from high-volume service models to "high-value" delivery systems have refocused the need for patient-centered approaches to quality care. However, benchmarks of how to define and evaluate successful patient-centeredness have not been sufficiently established. Such ill-defined evaluation criteria can further exacerbate systemic inequities in maximum quality health care delivery, especially based on the intersectional diversity of various patient populations. ⋯ Moreover, treating Black patients as "knowers" emphasizes the prioritization of patient values at the core of providing valuable healthcare. Such an academic, policy, and clinical approach to medicine agrees with well-established principles of medical ethics. In addition, the framework of a phenomenology of medicine can better facilitate physician-patient communication and interaction by delineating often muddled hermeneutics.
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Comparative Study
Racial disparity in the utilization of immunotherapy for advanced prostate cancer.
To identify whether there was a disparity in the utilization of immunotherapy in the treatment of black patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). ⋯ FDA approval of Sipuleucel-T for mCRPC led to increased utilization of immunotherapy shortly thereafter, but this was mainly noted in white patients. Black patients comparatively did not exhibit increased utilization of this novel agent after 2010. Further studies are necessary to help understand barriers to access to new treatment in mCRPC and eliminate the burden of disease in minority populations."
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African-Americans have the highest rate of colorectal cancer deaths. Adherence to colorectal cancer screening guidelines can improve outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate physician trust and barriers to screening utilizing a unique bi-directional learning focus group involving African-American adults and health care learners. ⋯ Focus group discussion identified multiple barriers for colorectal cancer screening. Notably, differences in the perceptions of African-American community members and non-African-American health care learners about racial disparity in health care, physician respect toward patients and insufficient physician discussion were revealed. The integration of bi-directional focus group learning can be considered as a potential strategy to assist in the development of focused screening interventions.
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To determine if there is a racial disparity in satisfaction with maternal healthcare, and examine the quality of care mothers of color receive. ⋯ Race is one of many indicators for dissatisfaction with maternal healthcare. More in-depth research on patient perception of care is recommended.