AMERICAN JOURNAL ON INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES ÓAAIDD 2015, Vol. 120, No. 6, 504–513 DOI: 10.1352/1944-7558-120.6.504 Have Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Quality of Health Care Relationships Changed for Children With Developmental Disabilities and ASD? Sandra Maga ˜ na, Susan L. Parish, and Esther Son Abstract The aim of this study was to determine if racial and ethnic disparities in the quality of provider interaction have changed between 2006 and 2010 for children with developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Data from the 2005/2006 and 2009/2010 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs were analyzed. Results show that racial and ethnic disparities in the quality of provider interactions were substantial in both 2005/2006 and 2009/2010. Black and Latino parents were significantly less likely than White parents to report that their provider spent enough time with their child and was sensitive to the family’s values. Racial and ethnic disparities in health care quality were found to be unchanged over time. Research and policy implications are discussed. Key Words: racial and ethnic disparities; Latinos; Blacks; quality of healthcare; autism spectrum disorders; developmental disabilities In 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement highlighting the importance of integrating patient- and family- centered care across all pediatric healthcare settings (Committee on Hospital Care and Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care, 2012). High- quality provider interactions with parents and patients are core, requisite features of family- centered care. These interactions include listening carefully to parents, being sensitive to family cultural values and experiences, making parents feel like partners in care, and providing culturally sensitive information about their child’s condi- tions and treatments. Children with developmen- tal disabilities and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families face unique challenges obtaining quality family-centered care. According to the Surgeon General’s report (U.S. Office of the Surgeon General & U.S. Office on Disability, 2005), there is a shortage of providers who understand the specialized health care needs of patients with developmental disabilities and are willing to accept these patients. The use of patient-centered communication skills by providers has been linked to greater patient satisfaction, better health outcomes, and culturally competent care (Betancourt, Green, Carrillo, & Park, 2005; Cooper & Roter, 2003). The conceptual framework presented by Betan- court and colleagues (Betancourt, Green, Carrillo, & Ananeh-Firempong, 2003) proposes that high- quality communication leads to improved patient satisfaction, which in turn induces greater patient adherence to treatment recommendations and, ultimately, better health outcomes. However, cultural differences between providers and pa- tients pose challenges in patient-provider com- munication, potentially thwarting these pathways to better outcomes. For example, providers who do not understand their patients’ health beliefs and behaviors or who lack the skills to address these issues in their interactions with patients may not make the best treatment decisions for their patients. Compounding this issue is evidence that physicians lack training in treating children with developmental disabilities. Studies show that 504 Racial & Ethnic Disparities in Health Relationships