Role of Racial and Cultural Concordance in Patient-Physician Relations

Health disparities are defined as preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations (Disparities | Adolescent and School Health | CDC, 2021). Health disparities are known to have a greater impact on communities of color, particularly Black communities. Disparities are embedded in medical practice across the United States of America. Diverse communities who have experienced complex racial/ethnic and cultural categorizations are important to study and bring these communities into focus and determine how the complexity in racial/ethnic identity impacts their healthcare experiences and their experiences of healthcare disparities. We hypothesize a racially concordant physician-patient relationship where both patient and physician share the same cultural beliefs and racial heritage will improve. We will examine the effect and prevalence of racial concordance with physicians in diverse communities of New York’s five boroughs with a particular focus on Queens, New York. Through this study, the effect and prevalence of racial concordance with physicians will be examined in the diverse communities of New York’s 5 boroughs with a particular focus on Queens, New York.