Umeh, FK (2017) Ethnic inequalities in doctor-patient communication regarding personal care plans: the mediating effects of positive mental wellbeing. Ethnicity and Health. ISSN 1355-7858

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Abstract

Objective: There is limited understanding of ethnic inequalities in doctor-patient communication regarding personal care plans (PCPs). This study investigated the mediating effects of positive mental wellbeing on differences in PCP-related doctor-patient communication amongst South Asian and Caucasian UK residents.
Design: Data from 10980 respondents to the 2013 Health Survey for England was analysed using bootstrapping methods. Constructs from the WEMWBS (Warwick and Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale) (Stewart-Brown and Janmohamed 2008) were assessed as mediators of relations between ethnicity and several doctor-patient communication variables, including PCP-related interactions; (a) had a PCP-related discussion about a long-term condition with a doctor/nurse, and (b) had this conversation within the past year, (c) agreed to a PCP with a health professional; and (d) talked to a doctor in the past 2 weeks.
Results: Bootstrapped mediation analysis (Hayes 2013) showed that three positive mind-sets mediated associations between ethnicity and doctor-patient contact, including PCP-related communication. Being able to make up one’s mind (ab = -0.05; BCa CI [-0.14, 0.01]) mediated the effect of ethnicity on agreeing to a PCP, while having energy to spare (ab = 0.07; BCa CI [-0.04, 0.12]), and feeling good about oneself (ab = 0.03; BCa CI [0.01, 0.07]), mediated ethnic effects on talking to a doctor during the past fortnight. The mediating effect of reported energy persisted after controlling for medical history, perceived health, and other covariates.
Conclusions: Ethnic disparities in doctor-patient interaction, including PCP-related communication, are partly explained by positive mental wellbeing. Gauging positive psychological moods in patients, particularly self-worth, self-perceived vigour and decisiveness, are relevant to addressing ethnic inequalities in doctor-patient communication. As PCPs may have direct implications for patient health it is important for health professionals to address deficits in psychological functioning that may precipitate ethnic inequalities in setting up PCPs.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Ethnicity and Health on 6th April 2017 available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2017.1315056
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1117 Public Health And Health Services, 1608 Sociology, 1702 Cognitive Science
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
Divisions:	Natural Sciences & Psychology (closed 31 Aug 19)
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Date Deposited:	31 Jan 2017 11:35
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2021 04:05
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/5398

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