Table 2.
PCAS Scores by Patients’ Ethnicity/Race
| Score, Mean (SD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Scale (α) and Description | Black | Latino | White |
| Subscalea | |||
| Interpersonal treatment (α = .94); 5 items on the clinician’s patience, friendliness, caring, respect, and time spent with the patient | 84 (19) | 81b (19) | 86 (18) |
| Communication (α = .93); 6 items on the thoroughness of the clinician’s questions, attention to the patient, clarity of explanations and instructions, and help in making decisions about care | 84 (18) | 80b (19) | 84 (17) |
| Trust (α = .85); 8 items on the clinician’s integrity and role as the patient’s agent in the system | 79b (16) | 76b (15) | 82 (15) |
| Contextual knowledge (α = .90); 5 items on the clinician’s knowledge of the patient’s medical history, life responsibilities, principal health concerns, and values and beliefs | 75 (19) | 73 (20) | 74 (20) |
| Composite (α = .93); average of all 4 subscales weighted equally | 80 (16) | 78b (17) | 82 (16) |
PCAS = Primary Care Assessment Survey.
Note: α is a measure of internal reliability.
a
Each subscale is scored from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating a higher level of the attribute.
b
Score is less than that for white patients, P <. 01.