Rachel L. J. Thornton|Neil R. Powe|Debra Roter|Lisa A. Cooper
Patient–physician social concordance, medical visit communication and patients’ perceptions of health care quality
Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center|San Francisco General Hospital|University of California, San Francisco|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University
social characteristics eg race gender age education associated health care disparities introduce social concordance composite measure shared social characteristics patients physicians determine whether social concordance predicts differences medical visit communication patients perceptions care regression analyses used determine association patientprovider social concordance medical visit communication patients perceptions care using data two observational studies involving 64 primary care physicians 489 patients baltimore mdwashington dcnorthern virginia area lower patientphysician social concordance associated less positive patient perceptions care lower positive patient affect patientphysician dyads low vs high social concordance reported lower ratings global satisfaction office visits 064 vs 137 p 0036 less likely recommend physician friend 061 vs 137 p 0035 gradedresponse observed social concordance patient positive affect patient perceptions care patientphysician concordance across multiple social characteristics may cumulative effects patientphysician communication perceptions care research move beyond onedimensional measures patientphysician concordance understand multiple social characteristics influence health care quality