Communicating Risk in Diabetes Consultations V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Shared Decision Making in Primary Care Consultations: Communicating Risk to Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
IRAS ID
152578
Contact name
Sarah Gelcich
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Sheffield
Research summary
Many studies have established links between doctor-patient communication and patient satisfaction. How doctors ask questions, how patients present their medical problems, how doctors explain a diagnosis are important questions to consider when analysing doctor-patient communication. All these interactions involve talk and Conversation Analysis (CA) has proven to be a valid methodology used to analyse these interactions. For instance, Heritage and Robinson’s research on doctors’ opening questions (1) is one example where interventions based on CA findings resulted in an increase in patients’ satisfaction.
This study's objective is to find out what linguistic features enable or hinder the communication and understanding between doctors and patients with Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) when presenting risks in consultation.
The aim of the study is to better understand the communication between doctors and patients with the potential to inform best practice particularly when communicating risks to patients.
The research will be carried out using a qualitative approach. Patient consultations will be video recorded, a short pre-consultation questionnaire for patients regarding expectations will be handed out and a short post consultation interview/questionnaire for both doctors and patients will ask how they think the consultation went. The recordings and questionnaires will then be analysed.
The impact of this research is in its potential to inform medical best practice regarding communicating with patients. To improve the understanding of risks for T2DM patients enabling them to make informed decisions concerning treatment. Furthermore, the use of CA in medical settings could potentially have a place in future medical education.
1 Heritage, J & Robinson, JD. (2006). Physicians’ opening questions and patients’ satisfaction. Patient Education Counselling, 60(3), 279-285.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/YH/1121
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion