Table 2 Respect Themes and Corresponding Definitions, Example Descriptions, and Illustrative Quotes

Treated as a person

To be known as a person; inquiring about personhood; To be more than a patient

Using patient’s name to greet them;

Looking at patient in the eye;

Asking patient how they are doing;

Asking about non-medical aspects of an individual (e.g., work, family, friends)

Utilizing manners that show friendliness including smiles, hugs, and greetings

“When I first come in through the door she says, ‘Good morning, (Name),’ with a smile on her face. That’s respect right there, you know. That woman could we working the whole day, she don’t have something slick on her mouth. Had a rough day, you know. She make me come in, she smile, she always tells me “good morning (Name), how you doing?” (55 years old, Black, Non-Hispanic, from Turks and Caicos).

“Before we start talking about the exams or labs, he always asks me how I am, work, and the family. There is always a little conversation before beginning discussing health issues, always” (41 years old, White, Hispanic, from Nicaragua).

“When he come in like make me check in, and he see me he say, ‘Hey, (Name).’ He give me a little hug. You feel so welcomed. Everybody hug me, smiling, have me a little gift… As we were friend, and that’s where we take it with friendship. Oh (name) take care of yourself, when he leaving he give me a hug. He not like they better than us, we all want people but you could feel as a doctor.” (51 years old, Black, Non-Hispanic, from Jamaica).

Treated as an equal

To be collaborators (physician and patient) in care and treatment decisions; To communicate in a way that recognizes the patient’s capacity for understanding and the patient’s value in health decision making

Allowing and encouraging patients to provide input/ ask questions; Providing opportunity for listening/ explaining; Demonstrating partnership with client; believing the patient’s experience

“Any kind of questions I would ask her, again she wouldn’t look down on me, if I needed anything, she would provide it. If she couldn’t, she would refer me to someone that could” (44 years old, White, Hispanic, from the US).

“But over the years, I’ve been with those same people. And like, I say, anything I need, any questions I have concerning my health, like my medications. For instance, I might be on this type of medication, they felt the need to change it for whatever reason, I can, I talk to them and they’ll tell me why they think this one is better to me opposed to the other one I was taking. You know, taking this stuff like that” (67 years old, Black, Non-Hispanic, from Jamaica).

Treated without blame/ without prejudice

To avoid putting shame or guilt on the patient;

To act without prejudice or stigma towards the patient

Standing up for the patient; Avoiding talking down to a patient; Avoiding placing blame on patient; Treating without prejudice

“From the first time that I got there, they sent me there with that doctor, and he made me come in to the office and treated me respectfully. ‘What’s wrong with you? How are you? How did such a thing happen to you?,’ and respectfully. When my husband would yell at me, he would say, ‘Stop, stop, she’s not here for you to yell at her.’” (70 years old, White, Hispanic, from Honduras).

“He never speaks badly, angry, though sometimes I’m late for the appointment and the doctor seeing me starts laughing as saying “again” but always been very respectful” (41 years old, White, Hispanic, from Nicaragua).

Treated with concern/ Emotional support

To show warmth, love, and to provide comfort to the patient; To provide support when the patient expresses emotions; Expressing concern To show interest and concern for the patient’s health

Acknowledging, consoling and comforting the client in times of distress; Providing warmth and love towards patient;

Expressing interest and concern for the patient; Providing reassurance

“He listens to me and as, like I said, as I had different experiences during the years, he watched me grow and became a flower. And he would say that too because when I came to him, I was like afraid and everything, you know, of course, being first diagnosed, you think you’re going to die tomorrow. And, you know, they helped me through it. You know what I mean. Before –years later. Like just like a year ago now, I finally used the, what is it called, the mental health service? Yeah, but I didn’t need that because my whole team was like talking to me, consoling me. They supported me, like physically and emotionally. And some prayed with me. So like, it I can… I really have a good team” (41 years old, Black, Non-Hispanic, from The Bahamas).

“I remember I had got really sick. I had an abscess right under my left booty check, and I was, I don’t care who you are, I don’t want nobody looking at me. She was like, ‘(Name), I got to look.’ I was like, ‘No doc, I’m just gonna tell you about it.’ But she made me start laughing and got me to such a comfortable space where like I’m okay with her looking in certain parts, because she made me feel like baby. ‘I’m just trying to help you. Don’t feel embarrassed.’ Because you know, I’m like 240 [pounds]… So yeah, we’re there now” (51 years old, Black, Non-Hispanic, from the US).

Availability

To have timely access to the physician

Allowing the patient to speak to and see the doctor without appointments; making an accommodating schedule for the patient

“Most doctors, you have to have appointments. My doctors not like that. I would walk in there right now and he’d see me, if he has 10. If he can’t get to what I’m there for then he will schedule but if I walk in my doctor’s office, my care provider, they will see me. It’s never that you have to have an appointment to see your doctor. That’s why I like him” (45 years old, Black, Non-Hispanic, from the US).

“If I go in to talk to him, even if I don’t have an appointment I can go in as a walk-in, and I get to see him right away, you know. It’s everything” (64 years old, Black, Non-Hispanic, from The Bahamas).

Privacy

To abide by confidentiality and consent

Asking consent when others are in the physician room;

Providing spaces and utilizing practices that allow for privacy in waiting rooms

Negative case:

“Your patient already sign in and are put a waiting room, back there for your patients to sit in. Patients don’t wanna be sitting in that open environment” (58 years old, Black, Non-Hispanic, from the US).

Negative case:

“There is always someone there, it’s disrespectful. I would want more privacy. No more students… For example, last time I was in a room… and there was no privacy… It was a new doctor, and everyone noticed I was HIV. Because she screamed it like, ‘Oh bring me the chart because she is HIV!’” (47 years old, White, Hispanic, from Honduras).