The research of Richard O. White, M.D., is focused on health literacy, patient-provider communication and chronic disease management. Dr. White has special interests in diabetes care and outcomes and other health disparities for minority patients, particularly Hispanics with limited English proficiency.

Dr. White plans to collaborate with other scientists at Mayo Clinic to better understand the dynamic of the patient-provider interaction and the factors that best promote patient-centered care. His research aims to identify methods to maximize a patient's understanding of his or her disease and fully engage in self-management.

Dr. White and his team will develop and implement community-based interventions aimed at ensuring underserved populations have adequate access to diabetes screening, treatment and research programs.

Focus areas

• Diabetes disease management
• Diabetes care disparities
• Health literacy and health communication

Significance to patient care

More than 90 million individuals in the U.S. experience limitations in their ability to receive and use health information to make appropriate decisions regarding their health, also known as low health literacy.

Although closely tied to educational attainment, low health literacy can affect anyone regardless of race, education or economic status, and there is evidence that these limitations have a negative impact on health care and health outcomes. Effective health communication has the potential to ameliorate these outcomes and narrow disparate gaps of care.

Dr. White's team is working in collaboration with the community to better understand the impact of low health literacy and poor health communication on diabetes care and outcomes with a particular emphasis on improving the health care experience for minority populations.