Interpersonal Processes of Care in Diverse Populations

TLDR

Lower socioeconomic status and racial/ethnic minority groups experience poorer health and higher risk factors. The study aims to confirm the framework’s usefulness to investigate how interpersonal processes explain ethnic and socioeconomic health disparities. The framework defines communication, decision‑making, and interpersonal‑style dimensions with multiple domains, validated (except cultural sensitivity) in a survey of 603 ethnically diverse, low‑income adults.

Abstract

Persons of lower socioeconomic status and members of racial and ethnic minority groups experience poorer health and increased health risk factors. A framework of interpersonal processes of care specifies distinct components and incorporates the perspective of diverse racial and ethnic or socioeconomic groups. Its dimensions, each with several domains, are communication (general clarity, elicitation of and responsiveness to patient concerns, explanations, empowerment), decision making (responsiveness to patient preferences, consideration of ability and desire to comply), and interpersonal style (friendliness, respectfulness, discrimination, cultural sensitivity, support). All the domains, except cultural sensitivity, were validated through a survey of 603 ethnically diverse, low‐income adults. Confirmation of the framework's usefulness should enable researchers to explore how interpersonal processes might account for observed ethnic and social class differences in health care and health.