"They don't care to study it": Trust, race, and health care experiences among patient-caregiver dyads with multiple myeloma

Abstract

Background: Medical mistrust, rooted in unethical research, is a barrier to cancer-related health care for Black/African American (AA) persons. Understanding trust, mistrust, and health care experiences is crucial, especially in multiple myeloma (MM), which disproportionately burdens Black/AA persons in incidence and survival.

Study purpose: This study qualitatively examines the experiences of Black/AA and White dyads (patient with MM and adult caregiver) to gain insights into these phenomena.

Methods: From November 2021 to April 2022, we recruited 21 dyads from the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Participants completed a sociodemographic survey and a 60-90 min semi-structured interview. We used ATLAS.ti v9 for project management and to facilitate data analysis using the Sort and Sift, Think and Shift approach (ResearchTalk Inc).

Results: We interviewed 21 racially concordant dyads (11 Black/AA, 10 White) with mean patient ages of 70 (Black/AA) and 72 (White) at enrollment. Both Black/AA and White caregivers had a mean enrollment age of 68. The mean duration from MM diagnosis to enrollment for all patients was 5.5 years. Four key themes emerged: (1) knowledge and trust, (2) heightened emotions and discomfort, (3) differing mental constructs of health care experiences, and (4) mitigating mistrust, which varied by self-identified race. Black/AA participants had greater knowledge of historical events like the U.S. Public Health Service Untreated Syphilis Study at Tuskegee and carried the emotional burden longer. They also emphasized self-learning and self-guided research about MM for informed medical decision-making. Both Black/AA and White dyads emphasized the pivotal role of patient-provider relationships and effective communication in fostering trust and addressing concerns.

Conclusion: Our study offers contextual insights into the enduring challenges of medical mistrust, particularly within the Black/AA community, and its implications for patients and caregivers accessing and receiving MM-related care. Future studies should leverage these insights to guide the development of multilevel interventions addressing medical mistrust within the Black/AA community.

Keywords: access to care; caregivers; healthcare disparities; medical mistrust; multiple myeloma; qualitative research; trust.