How Can Clinical Communication Alleviate the Negative Impacts of Social Determinants of Health?: A Secondary HINTS 6 Dataset Analysis

Structural disparities (eg, food insecurities, housing, and lack of transportation) at different social levels (eg, personal, family, and community) are strong determinants of health, influencing individuals’ and population well-being worldwide. Research is scarce examining how clinical communicatio...

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Main Authors: Qiwei Luna Wu PhD, Tiffany B Kindratt PhD, MPH, Grace Ellen Brannon PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Patient Experience
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/23743735241310094
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author Qiwei Luna Wu PhD
Tiffany B Kindratt PhD, MPH
Grace Ellen Brannon PhD
author_facet Qiwei Luna Wu PhD
Tiffany B Kindratt PhD, MPH
Grace Ellen Brannon PhD
author_sort Qiwei Luna Wu PhD
collection DOAJ
description Structural disparities (eg, food insecurities, housing, and lack of transportation) at different social levels (eg, personal, family, and community) are strong determinants of health, influencing individuals’ and population well-being worldwide. Research is scarce examining how clinical communication can mitigate the negative impact of social disparities obstructing the reception of quality healthcare. In this study, we explore the mediation role of patient-centered communication (PCC) between social determinants of health (SDH) and quality of care. Using a sample of 5437 adult who visited a healthcare provider in the past 12 months from the sixth Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6), our key points of findings included that the models showed PCC partially mediating the connections from (a) “skipped meals” (effect = −.08, 95%CI = [−.12, −.04]), (b) “unaffordable meals” (effect = −.08, 95%CI = [−.11, −.05]), (c) “fear of eviction” (effect = −.1, 95%CI = [−.14, −.06]), and (d) “lack of transportation” (effect = −.12, 95%CI = [−.16, −.08]) to quality of care (QoC). Specifically, better communication had a positive impact on mediating the disparities; poor communication did not. Demonstrating in a nationally representative sample, our findings indicate the key role of patient-centered clinical communication in effectively alleviating the inherent challenges faced by people with low health literacy and socioeconomic status. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
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spelling doaj-art-33a7d089e18f40caaf029f22217b4ea32025-08-20T02:00:58ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Patient Experience2374-37432024-12-011110.1177/23743735241310094How Can Clinical Communication Alleviate the Negative Impacts of Social Determinants of Health?: A Secondary HINTS 6 Dataset AnalysisQiwei Luna Wu PhD0Tiffany B Kindratt PhD, MPH1Grace Ellen Brannon PhD2 , Lubbock, TX, Public Health Programs, Department of Kinesiology, , Arlington, TX, USA Department of Communication, , Arlington, TX, USAStructural disparities (eg, food insecurities, housing, and lack of transportation) at different social levels (eg, personal, family, and community) are strong determinants of health, influencing individuals’ and population well-being worldwide. Research is scarce examining how clinical communication can mitigate the negative impact of social disparities obstructing the reception of quality healthcare. In this study, we explore the mediation role of patient-centered communication (PCC) between social determinants of health (SDH) and quality of care. Using a sample of 5437 adult who visited a healthcare provider in the past 12 months from the sixth Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6), our key points of findings included that the models showed PCC partially mediating the connections from (a) “skipped meals” (effect = −.08, 95%CI = [−.12, −.04]), (b) “unaffordable meals” (effect = −.08, 95%CI = [−.11, −.05]), (c) “fear of eviction” (effect = −.1, 95%CI = [−.14, −.06]), and (d) “lack of transportation” (effect = −.12, 95%CI = [−.16, −.08]) to quality of care (QoC). Specifically, better communication had a positive impact on mediating the disparities; poor communication did not. Demonstrating in a nationally representative sample, our findings indicate the key role of patient-centered clinical communication in effectively alleviating the inherent challenges faced by people with low health literacy and socioeconomic status. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.https://doi.org/10.1177/23743735241310094
spellingShingle Qiwei Luna Wu PhD
Tiffany B Kindratt PhD, MPH
Grace Ellen Brannon PhD
How Can Clinical Communication Alleviate the Negative Impacts of Social Determinants of Health?: A Secondary HINTS 6 Dataset Analysis
Journal of Patient Experience
title How Can Clinical Communication Alleviate the Negative Impacts of Social Determinants of Health?: A Secondary HINTS 6 Dataset Analysis
title_full How Can Clinical Communication Alleviate the Negative Impacts of Social Determinants of Health?: A Secondary HINTS 6 Dataset Analysis
title_fullStr How Can Clinical Communication Alleviate the Negative Impacts of Social Determinants of Health?: A Secondary HINTS 6 Dataset Analysis
title_full_unstemmed How Can Clinical Communication Alleviate the Negative Impacts of Social Determinants of Health?: A Secondary HINTS 6 Dataset Analysis
title_short How Can Clinical Communication Alleviate the Negative Impacts of Social Determinants of Health?: A Secondary HINTS 6 Dataset Analysis
title_sort how can clinical communication alleviate the negative impacts of social determinants of health a secondary hints 6 dataset analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1177/23743735241310094
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