8.1.2 Flashcards
What is a false positive in medical diagnosis?
When a healthy person is diagnosed as ill when they are not.
False positives can lead to unnecessary treatments and anxiety for patients.
What is a false negative in medical diagnosis?
When an ill person is diagnosed as healthy.
False negatives are considered medical negligence and can have serious consequences.
What factors can lead to misunderstandings when communicating symptoms?
- Patients’ lack of vocabulary
- Patients’ unwillingness to give information
- Patients’ mistrust of the doctor
- The practitioner’s gender
Hall et al. (1994) found that patients give more information to female practitioners.
Which type of communication is more important when presenting a diagnosis?
Non-verbal communication.
Shapiro et al. (1992) showed that non-verbal cues significantly affect patient recall of information.
What was the aim of the study by Savage and Armstrong (1990)?
To investigate whether a sharing consultation style increases patient satisfaction compared to a directed style.
This study focuses on the impact of consultation styles on patient satisfaction.
What research method was used in Savage and Armstrong’s study?
Field experiment.
This method allowed for the observation of patient interactions in a natural setting.
What were the independent and dependent variables in the Savage and Armstrong study?
Independent variable: directed or sharing consultation style.
Dependent variable: patient level of satisfaction.
Controlled variables included random selection of patients and the same doctor throughout.
What were the demographics of the sample in the Savage and Armstrong study?
200 randomly sampled patients aged 16–75 from a London GP practice.
The sample size and age range aimed to provide a diverse representation of patients.
What conclusion did Savage and Armstrong reach regarding consultation styles?
- Patients with simple physical illnesses benefit more from a directed style of consultation.
- Patients prefer certainty and paternalism from their doctors.
- Directed style did not provide greater satisfaction during longer advisory consultations for chronic or psychological illnesses.
This highlights the importance of adapting consultation styles to patient needs.
True or False: Participants in the Savage and Armstrong study did not consent to audio recording of their appointments.
False.
Participants gave consent for their appointments to be audio-recorded as part of ethical considerations.
What significant applications arise from understanding consultation styles?
Practitioners can adapt their consultation styles to suit individual patients.
This adaptability can enhance patient satisfaction and compliance with medical advice.
What does Savage and Armstrong’s study suggest about individual differences?
The research offers situational explanations for patient satisfaction but ignores individual differences that could impact a patient’s preference.
This highlights a limitation in the study’s findings.
