Provider communication quality: Influence of patients’ weight and race

• Patient–provider communication quality differs by patient race/ethnicity and weight.
• Overweight and obese blacks experience worse patient–provider communication quality.
• Curricula on weight bias and cultural competency may address these disparities.

ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between patient weight and provider communication quality and determine whether patient race/ethnicity modifies this association.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis with 2009–2010 medical expenditures panel survey–household component (N = 25,971). Our dependent variables were patient report of providers explaining well, listening, showing respect, and spending time. Our independent variables were patient weight status and patient weight-race/ethnicity groups. Using survey weights, we performed multivariate logistic regression to examine the adjusted association between patient weight and patient–provider communication measures, and whether patient race/ethnicity modifies this relationship.ResultsCompared to healthy weight whites, obese blacks were less likely to report that their providers explained things well (OR 0.78; p = 0.02) or spent enough time with them (OR 0.81; p = 0.04), and overweight blacks were also less likely to report that providers spent enough time with them (OR 0.78; p = 0.02). Healthy weight Hispanics were also less likely to report adequate provider explanations (OR 0.74; p = 0.04).ConclusionOur study provides preliminary evidence that overweight/obese black and healthy weight Hispanic patients experience disparities in provider communication quality.Practice ImplicationCurricula on weight bias and cultural competency might improve communication between providers and their overweight/obese black and healthy weight Hispanic patients.