Communication and chronic illness

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  Feb-March, 2007  by Robert A. Anderson

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In this summary of four studies of chronically ill patients, better objective measures of health (e.g., blood pressures, blood sugars), behavioral improvement (more functional), or better subjective self-assessments of overall health status were related to physician-patient communication including contrasts of positive and negative affect, degree of information sharing, communication ratio, and patient effectiveness index. Workdays lost (p<.05), the number of health problems (p<.05), functional limitations (p<.05), effectiveness of change on controlling behavior (p<.05), and increase in patient-information seeking (p<.05) all showed significant improvement related to better communication. The greater the measure in physician-patient communication, the more improvement in the physical measures of health (p<.05).

Kaplan SH, Greenfield S, Ware JE Jr. Assessing the effects of physician-patient interactions on the outcomes of chronic disease. Med Care. 1989 Mar; 27(3 suppl):S110-S127.

COMMENT: In this analysis of four controlled studies, statistically significant improvements in numerous measured outcomes resulted from upgraded effectiveness of physician-patient communication. Various techniques for improving the percentage of time in which the physician is totally present and engaged with the patient contribute to this effect. Important among them is the need for the physician to be totally centered and have his/her own personal life issues resolved or temporarily set aside so that full patient engagement is possible.

COPYRIGHT 2007 The Townsend Letter Group
COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale Group