Inner city African-American elderly patients' perceptions and preferences for the care of chronic knee and hip pain: findings from focus groups.

Publication/Presentation Date

12-1-2004

Abstract

BACKGROUND: African Americans undergo joint replacement less often than do white persons. The authors studied African-American perceptions and preferences for the care of knee and hip pain.

METHODS: 10 focus groups were conducted in an inner city community. Participants, older persons with chronic knee or hip pain, were asked to discuss their perceptions and preferences for the care of knee and hip pain. Transcripts were coded for thematic structure using NUD*ST software.

RESULTS: Cultural preferences and perceptions for care emerged as a major theme. Important subcategories of this theme included respect for the patient's faith and religiosity and perceptions of physician ethnicity, race, and sex.

CONCLUSIONS: This sample of older inner city African Americans expressed unique cultural perceptions and preferences for the care of their knee and hip pain. Respect for patients' faith was important, whereas physicians' race, ethnicity, and religious background were not.

Volume

59

Issue

12

First Page

1318

Last Page

1322

ISSN

1079-5006

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

15699532

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article

Share

COinS