Collecting Race,Ethnicity,and Language Data to Identify and Reduce Health Disparities: Perceptions of Health Plan Enrollees

Abstract

Collection of race, ethnicity, and primary language data of health plan members is a recognized important step in addressing disparities in health care. The authors conducted six focus groups to examine perceptions of Massachusetts consumers about collection and use of race/ethnicity and language data by health plans, preferences for how and when the data should be collected, and preferences for racial/ethnic categories. Consumers understood the utility of collecting primary language data from members but expressed concerns about the collection of race/ethnicity data. Despite these concerns, they provided suggestions for using the data to improve care. Their preferences for racial/ethnic categories suggested that they wanted a balance between simplicity and reasonable granular detail. Ultimately, consumers wanted to be assured that the information they provided to health plans would be used to improve quality, and they wanted to be able to provide this information without undue burden and with assurances of confidentiality.

Keywords

race/ethnicity data health plans disparities

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Angeles, J. , & Somers, S.A. ( 2007). From policy to action: Addressing racial and ethnic disparities at the ground-level. Hamilton, NJ: Center for Health Care Strategies.

Baker, D.W. , Cameron, K.A. , Feinglass, J. , Georgas, P. , Foster, S. , Pierce, D. , . . . Hasnain-Wynia, R. (2005). Patients’ attitudes toward health care providers collecting information about their race and ethnicity . Journal of General Internal Medicine, 20, 895-900.

Baker, D.W. , Hasnain-Wynia, R. , Kandula, N.R. , Thompson, J.A. , & Brown, E.R. ( 2007). Attitudes toward health care providers, collecting information about patients’ race, ethnicity, and language. Medical Care, 45, 1034-1042.

Boulware, L.E. , Cooper, L.A. , Ratner, L.E. , LaVeist, T.A. , & Powe, N.R. ( 2003). Race and trust in the health care system. Public Health Reports, 118, 358-365.

Glasser, B. , & Strauss, A. ( 1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. New York, NY: Hawthorne .

Halcomb, E.J. , Gholizadeh, L. , DiGiacomo, M. , Phillips, J. , & Davidson, P.M. (2007). Literature review: Considerations in undertaking focus group research with culturally and linguistically diverse groups. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 16, 1000-1011.

Hasnain-Wynia, R. , & Baker, D.W. ( 2006). Obtaining data on patient race, ethnicity, and primary language in health care organizations: current challenges and proposed solutions . Health Services Research, 41( 4,Pt.1), 1501-1518.

Institute of Medicine. (2009). Race, ethnicity, and language data: Standardization for health care quality improvement. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

The National Health Plan Collaborative. (2009 ). Toolkit to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health care. Princeton, NJ: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.rwjf.org/qualityequality/product.jsp?id=33960

10.

National Quality Forum. (2008). National voluntary consensus standards for ambulatory care-measuring healthcare disparities. Washington DC: Author .

11.

Nerenz, D.R. , Gunter, M.J. , García, M. , Green-Weir, R.R. , Wisdom, K. , & Joseph, C. ( 2002). Developing a health plan report card on quality of care for minority populations. New York, NY: Commonwealth Fund.

12.

Nerenz, D.R. , Hunt, K.A. , & Escarce, J.J. ( 2006). Health care organizations’ use of data on race/ethnicity to address disparities in health care. Health Services Research , 41, 1444-1450.

13.

NVivo Qualitative Data Analysis Software (Version 8) [Computer software]. (2008). Cambridge, MA: QSR International.

14.

Office of Management and Budget. (1997). Revisions to the standards for the classification of federal data on race and ethnicity (Federal Register Notice; 62 FR 58782-58790). Washington DC: Author .

15.

Ver Ploeg, M. , & Perrins, E. ( 2004). Eliminating health disparities: Measurement and data needs. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

16.

Wynia, M.K. , Ivey, S.L. , & Hasnain-Wynia, R. (2010). Collection of data on patients’ race and ethnic group by physician practices. New England Journal of Medicine, 362, 846-850.