MOTHERS SATISFACTION WITH MEDICAL-CARE - PERCEPTIONS OF RACISM, FAMILY STRESS, AND MEDICAL OUTCOMES IN CHILDREN WITH DIABETES

Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of medical outcomes. Th is study used an ecological framework to identify sociodemographic, fa mily, and community predictors of mothers' satisfaction with their chi ldren's medical care and to determine the extent to which satisfaction is associated with medical outcomes such as adherence to treatment an d health status of children with diabetes. Although individual demogra phics have little influence on satisfaction, family and community stre ssors are significant predictors of mothers' satisfaction with medical care. Mothers who reported greater perceptions of racism and family s tress were significantly, less satisfied with their children's medical care than those from less stressful environments. Mothers' satisfacti on with medical care was significantly associated with adherence but w as not significantly related to the children's health status.