Publication Date

Fall 2021

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Communication Studies

Advisor

Marie Haverfield

Subject Areas

Communication

Abstract

People of color are often confronted by barriers within the health-care system that white people are not likely to encounter. Latinx patients are among those who experience racial health disparities, typically due to the lack of health literacy support and limited resource access. Drawing on previous work that focuses on exploring patient, provider, and caregiver preferences for cancer prognostic conversations; this study explores perceptions of cancer prognostic conversations between providers and Latinx patients to better understand the degree of cultural competence among providers and opportunities for enhancing interpersonal communication with Latinx patients. Interviews with seven patients and five providers were conducted and thematically analyzed. Results identified notable similarities and differences in the preferences for and experiences with Latinx patient care in the context of cancer prognostic conversations. Findings point to opportunities for providing better patient care through improved, provider and Latinx patient communication practices and the need for a new care model that promotes culturally-focused care.

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