# Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Clinician-Caregiver Communication During

> **NIH NIH U54** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $81,670

## Abstract

When admitted to the hospital, Black and Latin(x) children are at greater risk of medical errors,
surgical complications, longer, more-costly hospital stays, and mortality compared to White
children. Although many factors play a role, poor clinician communication likely contributes to
these disparities in health outcomes. Much of the communication between clinicians and
parents or family members (i.e., “caregivers”) of hospitalized children occurs during a bedside
rounding practice called “family-centered rounds.” To-date, no investigator has examined
racial/ethnic disparities in the quality of clinician-caregiver communication during family-
centered rounds. The aim of this study is to assess racial and ethnic differences in subjective
and objective measures of communication quality during family-centered rounds using caregiver
surveys and audio recordings of these encounters. Further, we will explore the relationship
between communication quality and disparities in hospital outcomes, including length of stay,
pain and symptom control, adverse events, and risk of readmission. This study extends the
work of the parent study (REACH Project 2 of U54--REACH Equity, “The effect of a clinician
communication coaching intervention on racial disparities in the quality of communication in
cardiology encounters”) to a different clinical setting (ambulatory vs. inpatient) and population
(adult vs. pediatric), applying similar methodology to assess communication quality. The aims of
this project align with the REACH Equity theme by focusing on communication quality in the
clinical encounter—a key component of patient-centered care for which racial and ethnic
disparities are well-documented. Additionally, the goals of this diversity supplement are
consistent with the Center’s aims to identify, mentor, and develop investigators from
underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. This proposal will support the research and career
development of Dr. Parente, providing skills and mentorship needed for her to build a career as
an independent investigator.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10079043
- **Project number:** 3U54MD012530-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** KIMBERLY S. JOHNSON
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $81,670
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10079043

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10079043, Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Clinician-Caregiver Communication During (3U54MD012530-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10079043. Licensed CC0.

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