Patient satisfaction: African American women's views of the patient-doctor relationship.

African American women are less likely than other groups of women to use health care services despite an equal or greater need. In particular, they may rely more frequently on informal sources of health care advice, such as family members and/or social support networks. Very little is known about how African American women view the health care system because few studies have investigated the impact of race and gender on patient satisfaction. To address this gap, we analyzed transcripts of focus groups conducted with African American women about their attitudes toward health care, especially their expectations and experiences of the doctor-patient relationship. African American (AA) women in this study reported preferences for doctors who did not rush them through their appointments, who explained what was happening during the examination, who respected their need for self-determination, and who had a holistic focus on the patient. During this period of rapid change in the health care system, such information about how individuals of diverse backgrounds perceive the health care system is critical to ensure broad access and reduce disparities in utilization.