RacismNCT04940234
Patient Perceptions of Physician Education and Quality by Race
A study testing Exposure to a Photo in people with Racism and Bias, Racial, run by Harvard University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Research has documented positive effects of doctor-patient race concordance, suggesting that increasing diversity among healthcare professionals may play an important role in addressing well-documented racial health disparities in the US. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 25 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Racism, Bias, Racial
- What is being tested?
- Exposure to a Photo
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 1,500 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 19 Aug 2021to 1 Oct 2021
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 25 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- participant identifies as Black or White
Who cannot join
- participant doesn't identify as Black or White
- younger than 25 years old
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Research has documented positive effects of doctor-patient race concordance, suggesting that increasing diversity among healthcare professionals may play an important role in addressing well-documented racial health disparities in the US. It also remains critical to improve the quality of interactions in race discordant doctor-patient relationships. However, as health systems consider policies to increase the number of minority healthcare professionals, especially among doctors, questions about the equilibrium effects of such initiatives naturally emerge. In this project, the investigators examine whether and how patients vary their perceptions of healthcare professionals by race.
Read the detailed description
Research has documented positive effects of doctor-patient race concordance. Given the low representation of minorities among doctors in the US, this evidence suggests that the path to addressing well-documented racial health disparities involves both increasing diversity among healthcare professionals and improving the quality of interactions in race-discordant doctor-patient relationships. Increased focus on improving minority representation among healthcare professionals, and especially among doctors, naturally raises questions about the equilibrium effects of such initiatives. In this study, the investigators aim to explore one potential avenue for equilibrium effects. A growing literature examines how doctors' behavior and beliefs change with patient race and potentially affect the quality of healthcare interactions. This project examines whether and how patients vary their perceptions of the quality of doctors based on race. Significant variation in the perceived quality of minority healthcare professionals could adversely affect the quality and effectiveness of healthcare interactions involving these professionals. Moreover, the range of potential negative patient attitudes that could be encountered in day-to-day clinical practice may also be considered an anticipatory tax and another barrier for prospective minority trainees.
This projects aim to test the following hypotheses: (1) whether subjects believe Black experts are less educated compared with White experts; (2) whether subject believe Black experts are lower quality compared with White experts; (3) whether there is any variation in these two outcomes based on respondent race. The investigators also explore a potential mechanism by examining the extent to which differences in patients' beliefs about the likely occupation of individuals explains differences in patients' beliefs about educational attainment and quality. In this case, the investigators hypothesize that the race of the individual in the photo may be affecting the weight that individuals put on the "expert attire" treatment.
- Conditions
- Racism, Bias, Racial
- Being tested
- Exposure to a Photo
- Keywords
- healthcare
- Medical subject headings
- Racism
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Exposure to a PhotoBehavioural
We plan to recruit subjects and randomly assign them to one of four treatments. In each treatment arm, the subject will view a photo of a man. We experimentally vary treatment along two dimensions: whether the man is wearing expert vs. layperson attire and whether the man is white vs. black. We will survey participants' beliefs about the actors' educational attainment and perceived quality as measured by subjects' willingness to accept medical advice for non-urgent health issues or participate in a clinical trial being led by the individual in the photo.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Black Expert | Experimental | Survey respondents are exposed to a Black person wearing expert attire. Receives: Behavioral: Exposure to a Photo |
| Black Layperson | Experimental | Survey respondents are exposed to a Black person wearing layperson's attire. Receives: Behavioral: Exposure to a Photo |
| White Expert | Experimental | Survey respondents are exposed to a white person wearing expert attire. Receives: Behavioral: Exposure to a Photo |
| White Layperson | Experimental | Survey respondents are exposed to a white person wearing layperson's attire. Receives: Behavioral: Exposure to a Photo |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Willingness to Accept Medical Advice
Survey respondents' willingness to accept the medical advice of the man in the photo.
Measured: 6 months
Willingness to Participate in a Clinical Trial
Survey respondents' willingness to participate in a clinical trial led by the man in the photo.
Measured: 6 months
Education Perception
Survey respondents' perceived education of the man in the photo.
Measured: 6 months
Occupation Perception
Survey respondents' perceived occupation of the man in the photo.
Measured: 6 months
Secondary outcomes (2)
Willingness to Wait
Survey respondents' willingness to wait for their preferred healthcare provider.
Measured: 6 months
Perceived Attractiveness
Survey respondents' perceived attractiveness of the man in the photo.
Measured: 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Jun 2021
- Study start19 Aug 2021
- Primary completion31 Aug 2021
- Study completion1 Oct 2021
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for RacismStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 1,500 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Harvard University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Marcella Alsan, Harvard University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04940234
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB21-0682
- Status last verified
- Dec 2021
- First submitted
- 7 Jun 2021
- Last updated
- 13 Dec 2021
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Dec 2021. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Patient Perceptions of Physician Education and Quality by Race
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04940234
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB21-0682
- Conditions
- Racism, Bias, Racial
- Keywords
- healthcare
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 1,500 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Harvard UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 19 Aug 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Aug 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Oct 2021 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 Jun 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Research has documented positive effects of doctor-patient race concordance, suggesting that increasing diversity among healthcare professionals may play an important role in addressing well-documented racial health disparities in the US. It also remains critical to improve the quality of interactions in race discordant doctor-patient relationships. However, as health systems consider policies to increase the number of minority healthcare professionals, especially among doctors, questions about the equilibrium effects of such initiatives naturally emerge. In this project, the investigators examine whether and how patients vary their perceptions of healthcare professionals by race.
Detailed description
Research has documented positive effects of doctor-patient race concordance. Given the low representation of minorities among doctors in the US, this evidence suggests that the path to addressing well-documented racial health disparities involves both increasing diversity among healthcare professionals and improving the quality of interactions in race-discordant doctor-patient relationships. Increased focus on improving minority representation among healthcare professionals, and especially among doctors, naturally raises questions about the equilibrium effects of such initiatives. In this study, the investigators aim to explore one potential avenue for equilibrium effects. A growing literature examines how doctors' behavior and beliefs change with patient race and potentially affect the quality of healthcare interactions. This project examines whether and how patients vary their perceptions of the quality of doctors based on race. Significant variation in the perceived quality of minority healthcare professionals could adversely affect the quality and effectiveness of healthcare interactions involving these professionals. Moreover, the range of potential negative patient attitudes that could be encountered in day-to-day clinical practice may also be considered an anticipatory tax and another barrier for prospective minority trainees.
This projects aim to test the following hypotheses: (1) whether subjects believe Black experts are less educated compared with White experts; (2) whether subject believe Black experts are lower quality compared with White experts; (3) whether there is any variation in these two outcomes based on respondent race. The investigators also explore a potential mechanism by examining the extent to which differences in patients' beliefs about the likely occupation of individuals explains differences in patients' beliefs about educational attainment and quality. In this case, the investigators hypothesize that the race of the individual in the photo may be affecting the weight that individuals put on the "expert attire" treatment.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Black Expert | Experimental | Behavioral: Exposure to a PhotoSurvey respondents are exposed to a Black person wearing expert attire. |
| Black Layperson | Experimental | Behavioral: Exposure to a PhotoSurvey respondents are exposed to a Black person wearing layperson's attire. |
| White Expert | Experimental | Behavioral: Exposure to a PhotoSurvey respondents are exposed to a white person wearing expert attire. |
| White Layperson | Experimental | Behavioral: Exposure to a PhotoSurvey respondents are exposed to a white person wearing layperson's attire. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 25 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- participant identifies as Black or White
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- participant doesn't identify as Black or White
- younger than 25 years old
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Exposure to a PhotoWe plan to recruit subjects and randomly assign them to one of four treatments. In each treatment arm, the subject will view a photo of a man. We experimentally vary treatment along two dimensions: whether the man is wearing expert vs. layperson attire and whether the man is white vs. black. We will survey participants' beliefs about the actors' educational attainment and perceived quality as measured by subjects' willingness to accept medical advice for non-urgent health issues or participate in a clinical trial being led by the individual in the photo. | Behavioural | Black Expert, Black Layperson, White Expert, White Layperson |
Primary outcome
Willingness to Accept Medical Advice
Time frame: 6 months
Survey respondents' willingness to accept the medical advice of the man in the photo.
Willingness to Participate in a Clinical Trial
Time frame: 6 months
Survey respondents' willingness to participate in a clinical trial led by the man in the photo.
Education Perception
Time frame: 6 months
Survey respondents' perceived education of the man in the photo.
Occupation Perception
Time frame: 6 months
Survey respondents' perceived occupation of the man in the photo.
2 secondary outcomes
Willingness to Wait
Time frame: 6 months
Perceived Attractiveness
Time frame: 6 months
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Dec 2021.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Racism
Recruiting
Our Voices Matter: Intervention for Depression in Youth
Depressive Symptoms, Allostatic Load
Active, not recruitingPhase 2/3
Resources, Inspiration, Support and Empowerment (RISE) for Black Pregnant Women
Pregnancy Related, Pregnancy Complications
Active, not recruiting
PAINED: Project Addressing INequities in the Emergency Department
Pain, Appendicitis
Active, not recruiting
Melanated Group Midwifery Care (MGMC)
Pregnancy Complications, Maternal Care Patterns
Active, not recruiting
The IGNITE Study on Concentrated Investment in Black Neighborhoods
Financial Stress, Economic Problems
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Exposure to a Photo in people with Racism and Bias, Racial, run by Harvard University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Dec 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Willingness to Accept Medical Advice (time frame: 6 months). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Dec 2021.