Does affiliation with a minority group affect patient activation?

Abstract

To systematically review published studies assessing associations between ethnicity and patient activation (PA) among people with chronic conditions. A systematic review (PROSPERO-CRD42022320793) was performed by searching in PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Studies were included according to the following criteria: age > 18, diagnosis of at least one chronic condition, assessment of PA, report of ethnic minority group, and statistical analyses of PA scores include between-group comparisons or correlation or regression with ethnic group affiliation. Two reviewers conducted independent screening of records and full-text articles published until July 2021. Quality was evaluated using the National Institutes of Health study quality assessment tool. From 197 records identified, 12 studies were included. The majority of studies focused on participants of White, Black and Hispanic ethnicity. Seven studies establish a significant association between ethnicity and PA, while the remainder of the studies found no association or inconclusive results. The findings indicate that ethnicity is related to PA although additional, multiple explanatory variables other than ethnicity to PA were identified. Practice implications Programs to promote PA should be adjusted to participants' ethnic affiliation but consider differences in the barriers to PA and their magnitude that may differ across different ethnicities.