Identifying Communication Barriers and Trust Issues of Black Women Seeking Preventive Health Services in Houston, Texas

Black women mortality rates are perceived to be impacted by communication barriers, trust issues, and the lack of quality preventive health services. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore communication barriers and trust issues perceived by Black women when seeking preventive health services. HMB was used to identify public attitudes around receiving preventive health services and to construct each question based on perceived susceptibility and perceived severity of communication barriers and trust issues. An ecological model of the communication process was used as a framework to identify fundamental relationships between the Black female patients and health care providers. Data were collected using open-ended interview questions from Black women in public health and health care professions in southeast Texas (N=10). Results were coded and evaluated by thematic analysis. NVivo 10 software was used to store and manage data. Study findings showed 4 participants voiced their beliefs that their healthcare provider was somewhat apathetic when it came to addressing their health care needs, and 3 of the participants who visited a doctor's office within the last 12 months reportedly expressed having poor communication and trust issues with their health care provider. Emerged themes included lack of attentiveness from health care providers and lack of a comfortable atmosphere or bedside manner when receiving preventive health care services from their healthcare provider. This research has implications for social change if the health inequalities of Black women are identified and addressed, then Black women may have a reduction in health disparities when receiving preventive health services and an increase healthier outcomes.