Video study of physician selection: preferences in the face of diversity.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a diverse group of people would predominantly choose a white male physician regardless of group member's sex and ethnicity when given a choice among 6 actor-portrayed video doctors (males and females of Latino, European, and African descent) and whether further exposure would alter initial selections.

STUDY DESIGN: Participants selected a video doctor after viewing a brief introduction and again after viewing the delivery of a prevention message.

POPULATION: Three hundred ninety-five participants recruited at a shopping mall in the San Francisco Bay Area (61% female, 39% male; 30% Asian American, 29% European American, 26% Latino, 8% African American, and 7% other).

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Initial and final video doctor selections; ratings of video doctors on interpersonal qualities.

RESULTS: Most participants (85% of females and 63% of males) initially chose a female video doctor (P<.001) and even more did so at final selection. Approximately half initially chose a same-race video doctor (66% of European Americans, 51% of Latinos, and 50% of African Americans), but fewer did so at final selection (56% of European Americans, 44% of Latinos, and 52% of African Americans). In addition, at final selection 57% of Asian Americans and other-ethnicity participants chose a non-European American video doctor.

CONCLUSIONS: Many healthcare consumers will accept physicians of both sexes and of different races. After observing the video doctors demonstrate a professional and warm affect, participants became even more receptive to choosing a video doctor of a different race. Video doctor technology holds promise for increasing our understanding of patients' preferences.