African-American parents' perceptions of partnership with their child's primary care provider

To identify family, provider, and healthcare setting characteristics associated with African-American parents' perceptions of partnership with their child's primary care provider.

Data were collected via a telephone survey of 425 African-American parents of 0- to 5-year-old children who had presented for a health visit 1 to 2 weeks earlier at participating pediatric primary care practices in Washington, DC. Parents' perceptions of the level of partnership building by their child's provider were assessed using the Street Provider Communication Style instrument.

Multivariate logistic regression models indicated that, after adjusting for other family and provider/setting characteristics, parents seen in community health centers were more likely to report high partnership building compared with parents seen at private or hospital-based practices. Parents with at least a college education and those who described their child's provider's race as "other" were most likely to report moderate partnership building.

Future studies should examine elements of care delivery at community health centers that may lead to better partnerships between parents and providers in private and hospital-based practice settings.