Exploration of Parent-Provider Communication During Clinic Visits for Children With Chronic Conditions

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Healthcare Communication
• Family-Centered Care
• Chronic Illness Management

Background:

• Effective communication is crucial in managing pediatric chronic conditions.
• The Theory of Shared Communication (TSC) provides a framework for understanding patient-provider interactions.
• Limited research exists on communication dynamics between parents and multidisciplinary providers in outpatient pediatric settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore communication behaviors between parents of children with chronic conditions and provider team members.
• To analyze these interactions within the context of the Theory of Shared Communication (TSC).
• To identify patterns of communication in pediatric outpatient clinics.

Main Methods:

• Secondary data analysis of 30 recorded pediatric clinic visits.
• Communication patterns were analyzed using a researcher-developed coding scheme based on the TSC.
• Focus on interactions between parents and multidisciplinary provider team members.

Main Results:

• Provider team members exhibited more frequent communication behaviors (asking, explaining, advocating, negotiating) than parents.
• Parents actively participated with frequent asking, explaining, and advocating behaviors.
• Both parties demonstrated communication behaviors aligned with the TSC.

Conclusions:

• Parents and providers demonstrated TSC communication behaviors in pediatric chronic care settings.
• Provider dominance in communication may potentially disempower parents.
• Understanding these dynamics is key to improving parent-provider relationships and care quality.