Doctor-Child Communication: Improving Health Outcomes. Executive Summary and Final Report

摘要

The purpose of the project was to improve health outcomes for children by enhancing interactions between patients, parents and providers during medical office visits. The authors developed an intervention contained in three brief videotapes (for parents, physicians and patients). Materials were designed to build skills and motivation for increased child competence and participation during pediatric medical visits and to improve parent agenda setting as well as physician communication skills. In a study of 141 children from a general population results indicated intervention group physicians included experimental group children more often in discussions of medical recommendations. Intervention group children recalled more medication recommendations, reported higher satisfaction with medical care and showed a greater preference for an active health role than control children. In a study of 80 children with asthma the intervention significantly improved children's asthma management over the ensuing months. The results document the effectiveness of a brief medical-office based intervention in improving important health outcomes for children. The study contributes to a growing body of theory and research linking medical visit interactions to health outcomes by documenting a causal relationship for children.