Table 4.

Theme: Treat Family and Patient with Respect

Sub-theme(s)	Phase 1: focus groups		Phase 2: recommendations
	AA	White	AA	White
(A) Experiences of physicians acting in an insensitive or rude manner	X	“It wasn't our regular doctor, this man comes out in the waiting room and there's our church members and … N's mother and his sister and daughters and everybody out there. The waiting room was full. He says, ‘Well,’ he said, “I don't know how he's lived this long and it'll be a miracle if he's here at Thanksgiving,” and this was the end of September. “His heart and lungs are just shot and it's just a miracle that he's still living.” “I was trying to get the doctor to understand our insurance, and he says, ‘You know, usually when I give a patient a prescription and they go get it and they pay their $2,000, but here I have one who comes in and wants it for nothing.’ So I went to the pharmacy, called the insurance agency, told them what I was up against and he fixed it all. I got the T [medication.] I went back and he saw the bag in my hand, the doctor, and he says, ‘well, these insurance companies give you a hard time, don't they?’ I said, ‘it wasn't the insurance company. You were rude! What gives them a right to behave like that when you're under so much stress anyway?’ ”	(1) Although this theme did not arise in the AA group, the recommendations were that physicians should be courteous, and respectful of confidentiality.	(1) Physicians should never be rude, always be courteous.