Does Patient–Provider Racial/Ethnic Concordance Influence Ratings of Trust in People with HIV Infection?

Abstract

Despite widely available and effective treatments, there are racial/ethnic disparities in HIV-related mortality rates. The reason for inadequate HIV/AIDS management among minority populations is not fully understood, however recent research indicates that patients rate the quality of their health care higher if they are racially/ethnically concordant with their providers. As trust plays prominently on health care ratings, we examined whether racial/ethnicity concordance was associated with two dimensions of trust, trust in the provider and mistrust in the health care system, in 380 HIV infected people New York City. In this sample, concordance was associated with lower mistrust in the health care system, but not with trust in provider. We conclude that in this patient population and within the health care system available to them, racial/ethnic concordance might be more important for helping patients to understand and navigate the health care system rather than in interpersonal relationships with a single provider.