Working Paper: NBER ID: w24787
Authors: Marcella Alsan; Owen Garrick; Grant C. Graziani
Abstract: We study the effect of physician workforce diversity on the demand for preventive care among African-American men. In an experiment in Oakland, California, we randomize black men to black or non-black male medical doctors. We use a two-stage design, measuring decisions before (pre-consultation) and after (post-consultation) meeting their assigned doctor. Subjects select a similar number of preventives in the preconsultation stage, but are much more likely to select every preventive service, particularly invasive services, once meeting with a racially concordant doctor. Our findings suggest black doctors could reduce the black-white male gap in cardiovascular mortality by 19%.
Keywords: Diversity; Health Disparities; Preventive Care; African-American Men
JEL Codes: C93; I12; I14
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Race of doctor (black) (J15) | Demand for preventive care services (I11) |
| Race of doctor (black) (J15) | Communication between black patients and black doctors (I14) |
| Demand for preventive care services (I11) | Racial gap in cardiovascular mortality (I14) |
| Demand for preventive care services (I11) | Demand for preventive care services after consultation (I11) |