Document Type
Presentation
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Publication Date
6-28-2024
Abstract
There are significant disparities that exist for women and babies racialized as Black during the perinatal period. The perinatal period is 22 completed weeks of gestation to 7 days after birth. There are complications during this period such as infant and maternal mortality. The maternal mortality rate in 2021 for women racialized as Black was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births. In the same year infant mortality, was 10.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. Effective patient-provider communication can potentially address health outcomes in this area. This rapid systematic review aimed to identify positive and negative experiences of patient-provider communication for women racialized as non-Hispanic Black/African American. Of the 964 articles retrieved from the database searches, six met the criteria for the final review. Data extracted from the selected articles included study objective, sample size, study design, and main findings. The studies identified experiences of patient-provider communication from self-identified non-Hispanic Black women seeking care during the perinatal period. Negative experiences included feelings of bias, discrimination, ignorance, and lack of feeling heard by providers. Positive experiences were described as feeling included in decisions about care, receiving empathy and easy-to-understand information. The findings of this review suggest the need for better education and training on culturally competent communication from healthcare providers. Also, interventions aimed at identifying the long-term impact of such training on health outcomes are crucial too.
Lay Summary
Throughout this manuscript, the term “racialized as Black” will be used to emphasize that race is a social construct. Women racialized as non-Hispanic Black/African American in the United States have the highest maternal mortality rate in the country which is almost three times higher than the rate of women racialized as White. Multiple factors contribute to these disparities such as variations in quality of care, systematic racism, and implicit bias. Effective patient-provider communication is another factor that determines the quality of care and can potentially impact maternal health outcomes. Adherence to medical advice and being intentional about follow-up are more likely with effective patient-provider communication. A trusting and transparent relationship between a patient and provider is important since a pregnant woman will have many doctor visits during pregnancy. Visits are especially frequent during the perinatal period and for high-risk pregnancies. However, Black women are more likely to report negative interactions with healthcare providers. Understanding Black women’s experiences can provide insight into what can be done to address this important part of healthcare. This paper aims to explore the experiences of patient-provider communication among Black women in the United States. Two research databases were searched with words related to the research question such as “Black/African American”, “women”, “perinatal care”, and “patient-provider communication”. 964 articles were retrieved from the search and eight of these articles were included to answer the research question. The studies used qualitative methods such as interviews and focus groups to identify the factors surrounding positive and negative experiences of patient-provider communication from women who self-identified as non-Hispanic Black. The negative experiences were reported as feeling discriminated against because of their race, type of insurance, or marital status. Women also reported feeling dismissed or ignored when reporting pain or concerns about care. Receiving partial, misleading, or confusing information also contributed to negative experiences. All of the studies mentioned positive experiences of patient-provider communication. Women reported being included in decision-making, receiving empathy and understanding from providers, receiving clear information, and the lack of discrimination all contributed to positive experiences. These findings show how crucial communication is when receiving maternal care. At all levels of the healthcare system, comprehensive interventions are needed to improve communication. Hospitals should implement implicit bias and cultural competency training for all providers to promote appropriate patient-centered care. Future interventions should look at the long-term impact of such efforts on maternal and infant outcomes overall.
Recommended Citation
Gabriel, Brooklyn, "Experiences of Patient-Provider Communication Among Women Racialized as Non-Hispanic Black/African-American During the Perinatal Period: A Rapid Review" (2024). Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations. Presentation 548.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/mphcapstone_presentation/548
Language
English
Comments
Presentation: 9:01
Poster attached as supplemental file below