Patient and physician characteristics associated with perceived quality of care.

This study was undertaken to describe patient and physician sociodemographic characteristics that might be associated with the patient's perception of the quality of care rendered by his or her physician. A random telephone survey of 685 adult Kentucky residents showed that self-health assessment correlated positively, while patient education correlated negatively, with perceived quality of care. Perceived physician origin was related to the respondent's perceptions of quality of care, with native-born physicians perceived as supplying higher quality of care than their foreign-born counterparts. Cultural and communication issues might explain differences in perceived quality of care.