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Examining the context and helpfulness of family companion contributions to older adults' primary care visits.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wolff, JL; Guan, Y; Boyd, CM; Vick, J; Amjad, H; Roth, DL; Gitlin, LN; Roter, DL
Published in: Patient education and counseling
March 2017

Older adults commonly involve family (broadly defined) in their care. We examined communication behaviors of family companions during older adults' primary care visits, including whether these behaviors vary with respect to how older adults manage their health, preferences for involving family in medical decision-making, and ratings of companion helpfulness.Analysis of audio-taped primary care visits of older patients who were accompanied by a family companion (n=30 dyads) and linked patient surveys.Family companions predominantly facilitated doctor and patient information exchange. More than half of companion communication behaviors were directed at improving doctor understanding of the patient. Companions were more verbally active during visits of patients who delegated the management of their health to others than visits of patients who co-managed or self-managed their health. Companions were rated as more helpful by patients who preferred active involvement of family in medical decision-making.Family companion participation and helpfulness in primary care communication varies by patients' preferences for involving family in medical decision-making and approach to manage their health.Research to examine the effects of clarifying patient and family companion expectations for primary care visits could inform strategies to improve the patient-centeredness of medical communication.

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Published In

Patient education and counseling

DOI

EISSN

1873-5134

ISSN

0738-3991

Publication Date

March 2017

Volume

100

Issue

3

Start / End Page

487 / 494

Related Subject Headings

  • Public Health
  • Professional-Family Relations
  • Primary Health Care
  • Physician-Patient Relations
  • Patient-Centered Care
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Patient Preference
  • Office Visits
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
 

Citation

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ICMJE
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Wolff, J. L., Guan, Y., Boyd, C. M., Vick, J., Amjad, H., Roth, D. L., … Roter, D. L. (2017). Examining the context and helpfulness of family companion contributions to older adults' primary care visits. Patient Education and Counseling, 100(3), 487–494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2016.10.022
Wolff, Jennifer L., Yue Guan, Cynthia M. Boyd, Judith Vick, Halima Amjad, David L. Roth, Laura N. Gitlin, and Debra L. Roter. “Examining the context and helpfulness of family companion contributions to older adults' primary care visits.Patient Education and Counseling 100, no. 3 (March 2017): 487–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2016.10.022.
Wolff JL, Guan Y, Boyd CM, Vick J, Amjad H, Roth DL, et al. Examining the context and helpfulness of family companion contributions to older adults' primary care visits. Patient education and counseling. 2017 Mar;100(3):487–94.
Wolff, Jennifer L., et al. “Examining the context and helpfulness of family companion contributions to older adults' primary care visits.Patient Education and Counseling, vol. 100, no. 3, Mar. 2017, pp. 487–94. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.pec.2016.10.022.
Wolff JL, Guan Y, Boyd CM, Vick J, Amjad H, Roth DL, Gitlin LN, Roter DL. Examining the context and helpfulness of family companion contributions to older adults' primary care visits. Patient education and counseling. 2017 Mar;100(3):487–494.
Journal cover image

Published In

Patient education and counseling

DOI

EISSN

1873-5134

ISSN

0738-3991

Publication Date

March 2017

Volume

100

Issue

3

Start / End Page

487 / 494

Related Subject Headings

  • Public Health
  • Professional-Family Relations
  • Primary Health Care
  • Physician-Patient Relations
  • Patient-Centered Care
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Patient Preference
  • Office Visits
  • Middle Aged
  • Male