Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1975. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Mary T. Ramshorn. Dissertation Committee: Stanley Budner. Joint project with Rose Ann Naughton. Includes tables. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2003. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains x, 97 p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 88-97). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia State University, 2008. / Title from file title page. Yuki Fujioka, committee chair; Jaye Atkinson, Holley Wilkin, committee members. Description based on contents viewed Aug. 11, 2009. Includes bibliographical references (p. 64-69).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1996. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [97]-109).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisors: Mary A. Steinhardt and Nell H. Gottlieb. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The general purpose of this study was to ascertain how older adults want their physicians to communicate with them and behave toward them. The first objective was to develop an instrument to measure attitudes toward communication in the doctor-patient relationship, the Physician-Patient Communication Inventory (PPCI). The second objective was to investigate age differences among older adults in specific aspects of the doctor-patient relationship. Six forms were administered to 54 women and 6 men aged 60-91: Consent form, Subject Data Form, Known Doctor Behavior List (PPCI, Part I), Ideal Doctor Behavior List (PPCI, Part II), Rokeach Dogmatism Scale (short form), and an open-ended request for additional comments. Statistical analyses included varimax-rotated factor analyses, split-half reliabilities, divergent validity, frequency tabulations, Pearson product-moment correlations, and multiple analyses of variance. Results indicated that the PPCI is a reliable instrument containing nine factors which relate to the content and style of physician communication with patients. The particular importance for physicians to have medical knowledge and to be able to communicate is clear from both parts of the PPCI. Low correlations with the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale showed that the PPCI does not measure general authoritarianism and intolerance. Comparisons between subjects aged 60-74 and subjects 75-91 did not yield significant differences at the .05 level, although the results on the Known Doctor Behavior List Factor 3, Dissatisfaction with Doctors, indicated a slight preference in adults aged 60-74 for taking the active role of the consumer, rather than accepting an authoritarian physician (P < .09). Results reported on individual PPCI items indicated that the older adults did not want family involvement in diagnosis and treatment of their health problems. Responses to terminal illness issues were mixed, as were responses to physician responsibility in non-medical problems. Recommendations included (1) repeating this study using a larger sample size, extreme groups, groups varying on demographic variables, and groups of illness-alike subjects; (2) exploring reasons that lead to patient termination of the doctor-patient relationship; and (3) investigating preferences of older adults in family involvement, communication about terminal illness, and physician responsibility in non-medical problems.

Very little has been written about the physician-patient interaction from the perspectives of individuals with severe disabilities. It has been reported that satisfaction with the physician-patient relationship can affect continuity of care and compliance with therapeutic regimens. While it is feasible that these issues could be of less consequence to the health of patients who are non-disabled, discontinuity of care or noncompliance with treatment plans could result in critical, life-threatening situations for individuals with severe disabilities. This study explored factors of the physician-patient interaction that are important from the perspective of individuals with severe disabilities. Research questions addressed the nature of the interaction, similarity with factors considered fundamental by individuals without disabilities, and whether there were factors important to individuals with severe disabilities that previously had not been reported in the patient satisfaction literature. The six individuals selected to participate in the study represented a range of disabilities that met the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) criteria to be considered severe: blind, cerebral palsy, deaf, post-polio, spinal cord injured, and systemic lupus erythematosus. These participants also met all criteria as "key informants" for the purpose of qualitative research. A qualitative design was selected, employing two in-depth ethnographic interviews with each participant to elicit responses to focused, open-ended questions about the physician-patient interaction. The questions were patterned after those used in the development of the Smith-Falvo Patient-Doctor Interaction Scale (PDIS). Permission from the senior author was granted for "fair use" of the PDIS, and the related findings were used as comparison measures to responses of participants in this study. Findings of this research indicate that the interactional dynamics (eye contact, greeting, familiarity and evidence of respect) of first impressions for each individual in the physician-patient dyad influence to a large degree whether a satisfactory relationship can be established. In addition, participants with severe disabilities need to be considered by their physicians as equal partners in the management of their health care.

Communication expectancy and reinforcement principles are systematically integrated to explain the effectiveness of communication strategies focused on improving initial and long-term medical adherence and patient satisfaction. Study 1 analyzed patients' evaluations of communication regard strategies and the effectiveness of these strategies in initial encounters. It was predicted that physician gender would play a major role in patients' communication evaluations. As predicted, negative regard influence strategies used by male physicians were perceived as more appropriate than negative regard influence strategies used by female physicians. Results did not indicate gender differences in perceptions of expectancies or relational concern as communicated by regard strategies. Study 1 also addressed the effectiveness of influence attempts in initial encounters with a physician. The study supports the predicted interaction for communication effectiveness in initial encounters. Specifically, the results support the claim that female physicians are limited to the use of positive regard strategies whereas male physicians are more effective persuaders using either positive or negative regard strategies. The results also indicate that the use of negative regard strategies by male physicians does not hinder patient satisfaction or physician perceptions, whereas the use of negative regard strategies by female physicians is negatively related to these outcome measures. The reinforcement expectancy framework tested in Study 2 argued that occasional use of nonrewarding communication would facilitate communication effectiveness for both male and female physician in ongoing physician-patient relationships. The results supported this assumption. Physician gender, however, did not mediate the effectiveness of certain strategy combinations as expected. Finally, the investigation found that previous exposure to any type of physician communications style, as opposed to never having seen the physician, facilitated a physician's influence attempts.

<p>Since the anecdotal assumption is that GPs do not effectively diagnose and manage problem drinking amongst their patients, this study investigated the role of GPs in addressing problem drinking in Cape Town as well as the prevalence of problem drinking amongst their patients.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, June, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.