Does health habit counseling affect patient satisfaction?

Health behavior advice can potentially prevent a large burden of illness, but the acceptability of this advice to patients is not well understood. This study assessed whether physician discussion of behavioral risk factors decreases patient satisfaction with the outpatient visit.

In a cross-sectional study of 2,459 consecutive adult outpatient visits to 138 community family physicians in Northeast Ohio, the association of health habit counseling, measured by direct observation, with patient satisfaction, assessed by a modified subscale of the MOS 9-item visit rating scale, was calculated by logistic regression.

In analyses controlling for patient mix, discussion of diet, exercise, alcohol and other substance use, sexually transmitted disease, and HIV prevention was not associated with patient satisfaction. Patients who were asked about their tobacco use or counseled about quitting were more likely to be very satisfied with the physician.

Discussion of health behavior change, as practiced by community family physicians, is not associated with diminished patient satisfaction. In fact, tobacco use assessment and cessation counseling are associated with greater satisfaction.