Patient-Clinician Communication About Traumatic Experiences: A Qualitative Dyadic Framework Analysis

Area of Science:

• Medical Communication
• Trauma-Informed Care
• Patient Outcomes

Background:

• Traumatic events impact over 70% of adults, leading to long-term health issues.
• Effective communication strategies regarding trauma in clinical settings are poorly understood.
• The impact of trauma-related communication on patient outcomes requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore patient and clinician perspectives on communicating traumatic experiences.
• To evaluate the influence of trauma communication on health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with 24 patients and 24 primary care clinicians.
• Conducted in two safety-net clinics in Northern California from April 2023 to 2024.
• Dyadic analysis using the framework method, with separate interviews and double-coding of all data.

Main Results:

• Communication about trauma positively influences treatment, health, and social needs.
• Strong patient-clinician relationships and continuity of care are crucial.
• Identified best practices for trauma inquiry, differing perceptions of communication risks, and barriers to recovery.

Conclusions:

• Supportive trauma communication is therapeutic and essential in clinical practice and training.
• Discussing adult or childhood trauma offers significant health benefits with minimal harm.
• Findings inform clinician training, policies on care continuity, and resource allocation for trauma recovery.