A study published in The Annals of Family Medicine suggests that a doctor's communication style affects how patients interpret and react to normal diagnostic findings.
Key facts
- •The study included 349 participants who imagined having gastrointestinal symptoms and a relative with bowel cancer.
- •High-competence physicians were characterized by sitting upright and delivering precise explanations.
- •Low-competence physicians were characterized by fidgeting, using filler words, and searching through files.
- •Participants viewing high-competence doctors reported less emotional concern regarding their health.
- •Patients were more inclined to doubt diagnostic information if the physician appeared low in competence or warmth.
Researchers studied how physician behavior impacts patient anxiety when delivering normal test results. In a study of 349 participants, individuals were asked to imagine having gastrointestinal symptoms and a family history of bowel cancer before watching videos of a physician delivering identical normal results with varying levels of warmth and competence.
Impact of Physician Behavior
Physicians displaying high competence sat upright and provided precise explanations, while those with low competence fidgeted and used filler words. High-warmth physicians maintained eye contact and smiled, whereas low-warmth physicians avoided eye contact and folded their arms. Participants who viewed high-competence physicians reported lower concerns about serious disease and were less likely to seek a second opinion or additional procedures like a colonoscopy. Patients were more likely to question the validity of their test results when the physician exhibited low competence or, to a lesser extent, low warmth.
Advertisement
This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Medical Xpress.
