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Understanding the Patient-Provider Communication Needs and Experiences of Latina and Non-Latina White Women Following an Abnormal Mammogram

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Abstract

Latinas are more likely to delay recommended follow-up care than non-Latina White (NLW) women after an abnormal mammogram result. Ethnic differences in communication needs and experiences with health-care staff and providers may contribute to these delays as well as satisfaction with care. Nonetheless, little research has explored the aspects of communication that may contribute to patient comprehension, adherence to follow-up care, and satisfaction across ethnicity. The purpose of this exploratory, qualitative study was to identify patients’ communication needs and experiences with follow-up care among Latina and NLW women who received an abnormal mammogram. We conducted 41 semi-structured interviews with 19 Latina and 22 NLW women between the ages of 40 and 74 who had received an abnormal mammogram. Communication themes indicated that women’s needs and experiences concerning abnormal mammograms and follow-up care varied across ethnicity. Latinas and NLW women appeared to differ in their comprehension of abnormal results and follow-up care as a result of language barriers and health literacy. Both groups of women identified clear, empathic communication as being important in patient-provider communication; however, Latinas underscored the need for warm communicative styles, and NLW women emphasized the importance of providing more information. Women with high levels of satisfaction with patient-provider interactions appeared to have positive perspectives of subsequent screening and cancer treatment. To improve patient satisfaction and adherence to follow-up care among Latinas, educational programs are necessary to counsel health-care professionals with regard to language, health literacy, and empathic communication needs in health-care service delivery.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Noah Espinoza for technical support. The current project was funded in part by multiple National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute grants (P50CA148143, R25CA92408) and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Faculty Development Funds. The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private ones of the authors and are not considered as official or reflecting the views of the National Institutes of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue N., M3-B232, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA

    Yamile Molina, Sarah D. Hohl, Linda K. Ko, Edgar A. Rodriguez, Beti Thompson & Shirley A. A. Beresford

  2. School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Yamile Molina, Linda K. Ko, Edgar A. Rodriguez, Beti Thompson & Shirley A. A. Beresford

  3. School of Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Yamile Molina

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  1. Yamile Molina
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  2. Sarah D. Hohl
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  3. Linda K. Ko
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  6. Shirley A. A. Beresford
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Correspondence to Yamile Molina.

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Molina, Y., Hohl, S.D., Ko, L.K. et al. Understanding the Patient-Provider Communication Needs and Experiences of Latina and Non-Latina White Women Following an Abnormal Mammogram. J Canc Educ 29, 781–789 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-014-0654-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-014-0654-6

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