Transportation, communication key issues in eye care for African Americans

Transportation issues are the key barrier to care for African Americans, according to a questionnaire. Other barriers include a lack of physician trust from African-American patients and the opinion that ophthalmologists must impart “culturally sensitive and age-appropriate communication and trust-building skills” in order to properly care for this patient group.

Cynthia Owsley and colleagues held 17 focus groups with older African Americans living in and around the Birmingham, Ala., region to determine what, if any, perceived barriers to eye care existed. Six additional focus groups comprised of ophthalmologists and optometrists who practice in the area also were held. A total of 119 African Americans (ranging in age from 59 to 97 years old) and 35 eye care providers participated.

Transportation was cited by both groups as the primary barrier to care. African Americans next cited physician trust, communication with the physician and eye care cost. Eye care providers cited cost, trust and insurance as major barriers.

The older African Americans’ comments about vision and eye care were generally positive; however, eye care providers generally had negative impressions about this group’s vision care attitudes.

“At a societal level, there is a need for affordable and accessible transportation services for older African Americans seeking eye care,” the researchers said. “For ophthalmologists, optometrists and their staffs, there is a need for continuing education that imparts culturally sensitive and age-appropriate communication and trust-building skills for interactions with this population.”

Analysis of the data is published in the June issue of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.