The Effect of a Training Program in Communication Skills on Primary Health Care Physicians' Knowledge, Attitudes and...

Communication has been identified as one of the core clinical skills for all health care providers, but it is especially important for primary health care disciplines. Findings suggest the need for more attention to communication skills in continued physician education. This work aims at evaluating the effect of a communication skills training program on physicians' knowledge, attitude and self efficacy related to communication. In this pretest- posttest intervention study, a three-day, 18-hour training program was developed and implemented. The teaching method was learner-centered and includes theoretical information, practical applications and attitude change. A self administered questionnaire was used to evaluate the program. The results showed significant improvement in physicians' knowledge about communication where those having good knowledge increased from 13.1% before the intervention to 82% after the intervention. Physicians reported significantly higher confidence levels in their ability to build rapport with patients, counsel patients for smoking cessation and medication adherence after the intervention.

Overall, in this study we found that training in communication skills improves clinicians' knowledge, changes some negative attitudes and enhances assessment of physicians' own ability to perform specific communication tasks.