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Table 2 Valued relational aspects of care and exemplary quotations

From: Preventative health, diversity, and inclusion: a qualitative study of client experience aboard a mobile health clinic in Boston, Massachusetts

Providers communicate understandably

“Yeah they explain it very well. To the point where I know exactly what they mean when they say what they say. Even though they probably are educated to the point where they could use big words, you know what I mean, they don’t. They make it plain, simple, and to the point so you can understand.”

“The guy that did my HIV test, he explained it really in detail and even when I asked him more questions about like ‘Okay so if the test was positive, what would it look like?’ And he explained that to me, because I never knew.”

Providers create a culture of respect and inclusivity

“They don’t care what you look like, they don’t care what you dress like, they don’t care what you smell like, you’re always welcome in.”

“I think The Family Van is just great with everybody, that’s why they have so many people in there. You could be black, white, you could be Spanish, you could be not Spanish, you could be, you know, anything. And they still have the same respect for everybody.”

Providers are diverse with knowledge of the community

“They understand the community because they are within our community...they understand our culture, they understand exactly what it is that we are going through. Sometimes when I try to say things and it doesn’t come out right, they already know what I’m trying to say.”

“Why not be integrated into a holistic kind of situation? Not only just looking at your health, looking at your housing, looking at your employment, looking at your family situation…it’s a whole range that you can be plugged into when you come into a situation like The Van.”

  1. Salient quotations demonstrating the three most valued relational factors of The Family Van identified by interviewed clients