Abstract
This study explores cultural differences in perceptions of quality of care and examines whether existing surveys, such as the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) questionnaires, adequately capture conceptions of healthcare quality among members of racial/ethnic minority groups. Eight focus groups with African Americans, Asian Indians, Latinos, and whites were organized into two 45-minute segments. In one segment, participants rated the quality of care depicted in a video; in the other they discussed the concept of “healthcare quality.” We found that members of racial/ethnic minority groups are more likely than whites to identify cultural competency and providing a holistic approach to care as important to healthcare quality. Neither of these concepts is currently included in the core CAHPS® questionnaire. The CAHPS® and other quality surveys may not accurately capture concepts of healthcare quality that members of racial/ethnic minority groups deem most important.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge financial support for this study from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, grant number 63841.
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Bagchi, A.D., af Ursin, R. & Leonard, A. Assessing Cultural Perspectives on Healthcare Quality. J Immigrant Minority Health 14, 175–182 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-010-9403-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-010-9403-z