Satisfaction With Information Predicts Satisfaction With Outcome and Surgeon in Black and Hispanic Patients Undergoing Breast Reconstruction

Abstract

Background: Racial disparities in American healthcare contribute to worse outcomes among minority patients. Minority patients undergoing breast reconstruction are more likely to report dissatisfaction with their reconstruction process as compared with White patients, yet there is limited research exploring contributory factors. This study investigates which process-of-care, clinical, and surgical variables are most strongly correlated with Black and Hispanic patients' reported satisfaction.

Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent postmastectomy breast reconstruction at a single academic center from 2015 to 2021 was performed. Patients were included for analysis if they identified as Black or Hispanic and completed preoperative, less than 1-year postoperative, and 1- to 3-year postoperative BREAST-Q surveys. At both postoperative time points, the association between satisfaction with outcome and surgeon and selected independent variables was determined using regression analysis.

Results: One hundred eighteen Black and Hispanic patients were included for analysis, with average age 49.59 ± 9.51 years and body mass index 30.11 ± 5.00 kg/m 2 . In the multivariate model for predicting satisfaction with outcome, only satisfaction with preoperative information ( P < 0.001) was a statistically significant predictor during early and late postoperative evaluations. For predicting satisfaction with surgeon, satisfaction with information ( P < 0.001) remained a significant predictor in the early and late postoperative evaluations, with lower body mass index as an additionally significant predictor during the late postoperative period.

Conclusions: Patient satisfaction with preoperative information received is the single most significant factor associated with Black and Hispanic patient satisfaction with outcome and plastic surgeon. This finding encourages further research on effective and culturally inclusive information delivery so as to both improve patient satisfaction and reduce healthcare disparities.