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Language use in the informed consent discussion for emergency procedures
Danielle M McCarthy1, Katrina A Leone, David H Salzman
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. d-mccarthy2@md.northwestern.edu
Teaching and Learning in Medicine
|October 6, 2012
Summary
Physicians used more complex language and spoke more during informed consent discussions than patients. This study highlights disparities in spoken communication during healthcare interactions.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Health Communication
- Linguistics
Background:
- Health literacy research traditionally focuses on written materials.
- Spoken health communication analysis lags behind written communication studies.
- Understanding spoken language complexity is crucial for patient comprehension.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the structural and linguistic elements of resident physicians' speech during informed consent.
- To compare physician and patient language complexity and speech patterns.
- To evaluate the characteristics of spoken dialogue in a simulated informed consent setting.
Main Methods:
- 26 resident physicians participated in simulated informed consent discussions.
- Audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed for grammar statistics and language complexity (e.g., reading grade level).
- Dialogue structure and interactivity were assessed using transcripts and time data.
Main Results:
- Physician verbal dominance was observed in discussions.
- Significant differences in language complexity metrics existed between physicians and patients.
- Discussions were interactive, but speech patterns varied significantly.
Conclusions:
- Physicians spoke more frequently than patients during informed consent.
- Physicians utilized more complex language compared to patients.
- This disparity may impact patient understanding and health literacy.
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