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Assessing the consultation: method for measuring changes in patient stress and arousal
British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.)
|June 2, 1984
Summary
A new method effectively measures patient anxiety, showing reduced stress and increased arousal after general practice consultations. Identifying factors affecting these could improve patient outcomes and information recall.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- General Practice Medicine
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Anxiety assessment is crucial in healthcare settings.
- Existing mood scales like the MACL have been used in hospital outpatient studies.
- A need exists for accessible anxiety assessment tools in general practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and apply a novel method for assessing patient anxiety levels.
- To evaluate changes in stress and arousal before and after general practitioner consultations.
- To explore the relationship between stress, arousal, and consultation outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Adaptation of the MACL self-report mood scale using 26 low-vocabulary items.
- Application of the adapted scale to patients in a general practice setting.
- Pre- and post-consultation assessment of stress and arousal levels.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated appreciable reductions in patient-reported stress post-consultation.
- Observed significant increases in patient-reported arousal post-consultation.
- The adapted scale proved effective in a general practice context.
Conclusions:
- The developed method offers a novel way to assess anxiety in general practice.
- Consultations appear to reduce stress and enhance arousal in patients.
- Understanding factors influencing stress and arousal could optimize patient care and information retention.