Differences in patient-provider communication between smokers and nonsmokers

Publication Date

July 2019

Location

LSU Health Medical Education Building

Document Type

Abstract

Start Date

26-7-2019 9:00 AM

End Date

26-7-2019 12:00 PM

Description

Cigarette smoke causes cancer and increases one’s risk of cancer-related mortality. People under the age of forty who quit smoking reduce their chances of dying from smoking-related diseases by 90%, and effective patient-provider communication aids in smoking cessation efforts. Patients that experience effective patient-provider communication have better recovery habits, mindsets, and health outcomes. This study examined differences in quality measures of patient-provider communication among smokers and nonsmokers. Using a cross-sectional study design, we examined nationally represented data from the 2017 and 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Measures of patient-provider communication included how often respondents reported providers 1) always listened carefully, 2) explained things, 3) showed respect, 4) spent enough time, and 5) involved them in joint decision-making. Descriptive statistics included age, gender, race, income, education, and whether the patient ever had cancer. Chi-square analysis determined differences between respondents who reported current tobacco use and respondents who reported no tobacco use. Logistic regression determined the relationship between smoking status and patient-provider communication variables after adjusting for covariates. The sample included 6,789 participants, of which 38% were current smokers. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant difference (p<0.05) between smokers and non-smokers for each measure of patient-provider communication except for “explain[ing] things in a way [they] could understand.” After controlling for all variables, compared to non-smokers, smokers were more likely to report that a health care provider did not “give [them] the chance to ask all the health-related questions [they] had” (OR 0.744, 95% CI 0.562-0.933, p=0.041), “involve [them] in decisions about [their] health care as much as [they] wanted” (OR 0.666, 95% CI 0.523-0.853, p=0.001) nor “help [them] deal with feelings of uncertainty about [their] health or health care” (OR 0.777, 95% CI 0.630-0.963, p=0.019). Our analysis revealed room for improvement in patient-provider communication for smokers. Future interventions that improve patient-provider communication among smokers may aid tobacco cessation efforts.

Comments

Mentor: Michael Celestin, MA, CHES, CTTS, Department of Public Health

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Jul 26th, 9:00 AM Jul 26th, 12:00 PM

Differences in patient-provider communication between smokers and nonsmokers

LSU Health Medical Education Building

Cigarette smoke causes cancer and increases one’s risk of cancer-related mortality. People under the age of forty who quit smoking reduce their chances of dying from smoking-related diseases by 90%, and effective patient-provider communication aids in smoking cessation efforts. Patients that experience effective patient-provider communication have better recovery habits, mindsets, and health outcomes. This study examined differences in quality measures of patient-provider communication among smokers and nonsmokers. Using a cross-sectional study design, we examined nationally represented data from the 2017 and 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Measures of patient-provider communication included how often respondents reported providers 1) always listened carefully, 2) explained things, 3) showed respect, 4) spent enough time, and 5) involved them in joint decision-making. Descriptive statistics included age, gender, race, income, education, and whether the patient ever had cancer. Chi-square analysis determined differences between respondents who reported current tobacco use and respondents who reported no tobacco use. Logistic regression determined the relationship between smoking status and patient-provider communication variables after adjusting for covariates. The sample included 6,789 participants, of which 38% were current smokers. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant difference (p<0.05) between smokers and non-smokers for each measure of patient-provider communication except for “explain[ing] things in a way [they] could understand.” After controlling for all variables, compared to non-smokers, smokers were more likely to report that a health care provider did not “give [them] the chance to ask all the health-related questions [they] had” (OR 0.744, 95% CI 0.562-0.933, p=0.041), “involve [them] in decisions about [their] health care as much as [they] wanted” (OR 0.666, 95% CI 0.523-0.853, p=0.001) nor “help [them] deal with feelings of uncertainty about [their] health or health care” (OR 0.777, 95% CI 0.630-0.963, p=0.019). Our analysis revealed room for improvement in patient-provider communication for smokers. Future interventions that improve patient-provider communication among smokers may aid tobacco cessation efforts.