Race and preventive services delivery among black patients and white patients seen in primary care

BACKGROUND. Numerous studies have documented racial disparities in delivery of health care treatment services, but there is little information to dete rmine whether similar disparities exist in the delivery of preventive servi ces. OBJECTIVE. To determine if disparities exist in preventive service delivery to non-Hispanic white patients and black patients in primary care. RESEARCH DESIGN. Multimethod study using direct observation of patient enco unters, medical record review, and patient exit questionnaire. SUBJECTS. Four thousand three hundred thirteen outpatients presenting to 13 8 family physicians. MEASURES. Delivery of 15 screening, 24 health-habit counseling and 11 immun ization services recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force. RESULTS. Using multilevel linear regression analysis, no significant racial differences were found in rates of delivery of screening services or immun izations. However, black patients were more likely to receive preventive he alth-habit counseling (mean percent of patients up-to-date on all recommend ed counseling services, adjusted for covariates: 11.6% for black patients, 9.5% for whites, P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS. Black patients able to access primary care receive preventive services at rates equal to or greater than white patients. This suggests th at efforts to increase delivery of preventive care in black patients need t o focus on access to primary care.