Perceived race-based and socioeconomic status(SES)-based discrimination in interactions with health care providers

The purpose of this study was to: 1) examine whether African Americans perceive race-based and socioeconomic status(SES)-based discrimination in their interactions with health care providers; 2) explore the relationship between perceived discrimination and health care utilization; and 3) examine the interrelationships among education, stigma consciousness, and perceived discrimination.

Cross-sectional.

Seventy-six African-American adults (59 women and 17 men) completed self-report questionnaires regarding their experiences with and attitudes toward health care providers.

Almost two thirds (63%) of participants perceived discrimination in their interactions with health care providers based on their race or color, and 58.9% perceived discrimination based on their socioeconomic status or social class. Some experiences of perceived discrimination were correlated with measures of health care utilization. Education and stigma consciousness were positively correlated with perceptions of both race-based and SES-based discrimination. Stigma consciousness was not significantly correlated with education, suggesting that expectations that one will be stereotyped by doctors do not account for the relationship between education and reports of perceived discrimination in interactions with health care providers.

Further research is needed to assess the prevalence, frequency, and consequences of perceived discrimination in health care interactions.