RIAS Works

Resources
Bibiliography and Abstracts of RIAS Studies through 2012

Following are abstracts of RIAS studies, listed in alphabetical order by first author. Just click on a letter below to view the abstracts by the author's last name. Monographs and doctoral theses have their own page.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S

T U V W X Y Z Monographs & Theses

Johnson KB, Serwint JR, Fagan LA, Thompson RE, Wilson ME, Roter D. Computer-based documentation: effects on parent-provider communication during pediatric health maintenance encounters. Pediatrics, 2008 Sep:122(3):590-8.
(Computer Use, Pediatrics, United States)
OBJECTIVE: The goal was to investigate the impact of a computer-based documentation tool on parent-health care provider communication during a pediatric health maintenance encounter. METHODS: We used a quasiexperimental study design to compare communication dynamics between clinicians and parents/children in health maintenance visits before and after implementation of the ClicTate system. Before ClicTate use, paper forms were used to create visit notes. The children examined were < / =18 months of age. All encounters were audiotaped or videotaped. A team of research assistants blinded to group assignment reviewed the audio portion of each encounter. Data from all recordings were analyzed, by using the Roter Interaction Analysis System, for differences in the open/closed question ratio, the extent of information provided by parents and providers, and other aspects of spoken and nonverbal communication (videotaped encounters). RESULTS: Computer-based documentation visits were slightly longer than control visits (32 vs 27 minutes). With controlling for visit length, the amounts of conversation were similar during control and computer-based documentation visits. Computer-based documentation visits were associated with a greater proportion of open-ended questions (28% vs 21%), more use of partnership strategies, greater proportions of social and positive talk, and a more patient-centered interaction style but fewer orienting and transition phrases. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of ClicTate into the health maintenance encounter positively affected several aspects of parent-clinician communication in a pediatric clinic setting. These results support the integration of computer-based documentation into primary care pediatric visits.

Johnson RL, Roter D, Powe NR, Cooper LA. Patient race/ethnicity and quality of patient-physician communication during medical visits. Am J Public Health. 2004 Dec;94(12):2084-90.
(Race/Cross-Culture, United States)
OBJECTIVES: We examined the association between patient race/ethnicity and patient-physician communication during medical visits. METHODS: We used audiotape and questionnaire data collected in 1998 and 2002 to determine whether the quality of medical-visit communication differs among African American versus White patients. We analyzed data from 458 African American and White patients who visited 61 physicians in the Baltimore, Md-Washington, DC-Northern Virginia metropolitan area. Outcome measures that assessed the communication process, patient-centeredness, and emotional tone (affect) of the medical visit were derived from audiotapes coded by independent raters. RESULTS: Physicians were 23% more verbally dominant and engaged in 33% less patient-centered communication with African American patients than with White patients. Furthermore, both African American patients and their physicians exhibited lower levels of positive affect than White patients and their physicians did. CONCLUSIONS: Patient-physician communication during medical visits differs among African American versus White patients. Interventions that increase physicians' patient-centeredness and awareness of affective cues with African Americans patients and that activate African American patients to participate in their health care are important strategies for addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health care.

Joos SK, Hickman DH, Gordon GH, Baker LH. Effects of a physician communication intervention on patient care outcomes. J Gen Intern Med 1995;11:147-155.
(Communication Skills Training, United States)
OBJECTIVE. To determine whether an intervention designed to improve patient-physician communication increases the frequency with which physicians elicit patients' concerns, changes other communication behaviors, and improves health care outcomes. DESIGN. Pretest-posttest design with random assignment of physicians to intervention or control groups. SETTING. General medicine clinics of a university-affiliated Veterans Affairs Hospital. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS. Forty-two physicians and 348 continuity care patients taking prescription medications for chronic medical conditions. INTERVENTIONS. Intervention group physicians received 4.5 hours of training on eliciting and responding to patients' concerns and requests, and their patients filled out the Patient Requests for Services Questionnaire prior to a subsequent clinic visit. Control group physicians received 4.5 hours of training in medical decision-making. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS. The frequency with which physicians elicited all of a patient's concerns increased in the intervention group as compared with the control group (p = .032). Patients perceptions of the amount of information received from the physician did increase significantly (p < .05), but the actual magnitude of change was small. A measure of patient satisfaction with the physicians was high at baseline and also showed no significant change after the intervention. Likewise, the intervention was not associated with changes in patient compliance with medications or appointments, nor were there any effects on outpatient utilization. CONCLUSIONS. A low-intensity intervention changed physician behavior but had no effect on patient outcomes such as satisfaction, compliance, or utilization. Interventions may need to focus on physicians and patients to have the greatest effect.