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Communication techniques used by pediatricians during well-child program visits: a pilot study

Cristina Nunes1, Mariano Ayala

  • 1Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal. csnunes@ualg.pt

Patient Education and Counseling
|July 28, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Pediatricians use a limited range of communication techniques during well-child visits, with significant variations observed among practitioners. Further research with larger samples is needed to improve parent-pediatrician communication strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Communication
  • Medical Sociology

Background:

  • Effective communication between parents and pediatricians is crucial for therapeutic adherence and parental satisfaction.
  • Pediatrician-parent interactions during consultations are key to information exchange.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the communication techniques employed by pediatricians during well-child program visits.
  • To quantify the frequency and types of communication strategies used in pediatric consultations.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 49 audio-taped and transcribed well-child visits involving 5 pediatricians in Seville, Spain.
  • Development and application of a checklist with 27 categories, grouped into "concrete data gathering," "narrative support," and "information and counseling."

Main Results:

  • A total of 2025 pediatrician communication instances were identified.
  • 59% of instances involved information gathering, while 41% focused on providing information and counseling.
  • Pediatricians utilized a restricted set of techniques for informing, counseling, and offering narrative support, with notable inter-physician variability.

Conclusions:

  • A limited repertoire of communication techniques was observed among pediatricians.
  • Significant differences in communication styles suggest varying approaches to parent interaction.
  • Further investigation with larger pediatrician cohorts is recommended to enhance understanding and improve consultation practices.
Abstract

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