Patient experience during medical visits in predominately African American rural communities in Alabama

Patient experience, specifically, shared decision making, has been demonstrated to significantly affect patient outcomes. The current study examined the clinician-patient communication (CPC) experiences of residents in predominately rural African American communities in Alabama. The 255 participants completed a survey designed to assess aspects of patient experience at their last clinical visit. A third of participants reported not being satisfied with their most recent clinical visit; a majority (55.7%) of participants reported their clinician did not ask their opinion. Participants over age 65 reported greater patient satisfaction and respect compared to younger participants aged 18-45 years. Trending gender effects showed that females reported being listened to more and were more likely to report being treated with respect than male participants. The results of the study show that the clinician-patient experience in rural predominately African American communities represents an opportunity to improve health care outcomes and minimize racial disparities.