Physician Support Preferences of Individual with Endometriosis
About.
Our earlier studies took a quantitative approach to developing explanatory models of invalidation and related statistical outcomes for patients, highlighting in particular the potential psychological harm to patients. This phase of the project will be guided by our theoretical development and early empirical quantitative findings. Having documented psychological harms from invalidation, we now aim to understand which features of communication patients perceive to be the most supportive during diagnostic and treatment interactions. An overwhelming majority of the published literature has focused on negative patient-provider interactions especially during diagnostic consultations. Although it is important to understand what kinds of communication are perceived to be detrimental to patient experience, it is equally important to understand what kinds of communication are perceived as supportive.
Understanding which features of physician communication patients with endometriosis perceive as validating is paramount to designing, testing, and ultimately implementing a communication skills training program for gynecologists. Substantially reducing diagnostic delay is likely to be a multi-faceted endeavor requiring mixed methods approaches to intervention development. By examining patient perceptions of supportive communication by physicians, this study aims to contribute an important component for improving patient experiences of a challenging diagnostic and treatment process. We anticipate that this work will provide the foundation for the future development and testing of communication skills training for non-endometriosis gynecologists that may help prevent some of the psychological harm that may ensue for patients during their long and frustrating search for a diagnosis.
Our earlier studies took a quantitative approach to developing explanatory models of invalidation and related statistical outcomes for patients, highlighting in particular the potential psychological harm to patients. This phase of the project will be guided by our theoretical development and early empirical quantitative findings. Having documented psychological harms from invalidation, we now aim to understand which features of communication patients perceive to be the most supportive during diagnostic and treatment interactions. An overwhelming majority of the published literature has focused on negative patient-provider interactions especially during diagnostic consultations. Although it is important to understand what kinds of communication are perceived to be detrimental to patient experience, it is equally important to understand what kinds of communication are perceived as supportive.
Understanding which features of physician communication patients with endometriosis perceive as validating is paramount to designing, testing, and ultimately implementing a communication skills training program for gynecologists. Substantially reducing diagnostic delay is likely to be a multi-faceted endeavor requiring mixed methods approaches to intervention development. By examining patient perceptions of supportive communication by physicians, this study aims to contribute an important component for improving patient experiences of a challenging diagnostic and treatment process. We anticipate that this work will provide the foundation for the future development and testing of communication skills training for non-endometriosis gynecologists that may help prevent some of the psychological harm that may ensue for patients during their long and frustrating search for a diagnosis.
This project is funded by the Endometriosis Research Center.
