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Biomedical subjects

Amaryllis Campbell

Publications and source records attributed to Amaryllis Campbell.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Why do doctors issue sick notes? An experimental questionnaire study in primary care.

BACKGROUND: Issuing sick notes is one of the core tasks of General Practice and yet little research has explored how doctors decide whether or not to offer a sick note. AIM: To explore what factors influence this decision with a focus on the impact of type of problem (psychological versus physical), adverse family circumstances (present versus absent) and patient demand (asks for note versus does not ask). DESIGN: Experimental factorial design using questionnaire-based vignettes with eight scenarios which varied in terms of the three core factors. SETTING: East and West Sussex PCTs. OUTCOME MEASURES: Doctors' beliefs about the patient and their subsequent behaviour. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred and eighty-nine GPs completed a questionnaire asking them to rate one of eight hypothetical patients in terms of their beliefs about the patient and their hypothetical behaviour. RESULTS: The doctors rated the patient with the psychological problem as more ill, less work-shy, more unfit for work and described feeling more sympathy towards him compared with the patient with the physical problem. The presence of adverse family circumstances generated more sympathy and doctors considered this patient as less work-shy. A patient demand for a sick note had no effect on doctors' beliefs about the patient. In terms of doctors' behaviour, the doctors were more likely to give the patient with the psychological problem a sick note overall and because they felt he needed or deserved one, and more likely to give the patient with the physical problem a sick note in order to maintain a relationship with him. The decision to give a sick note was not influenced by either adverse family circumstances or patient demand. CONCLUSION: Doctors have more positive beliefs about patients with a psychological problem and are more likely to offer them a sick note. Issuing sick notes is unrelated to the patient's family circumstances or patient demand.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

What's in a name? An experimental study of patients' views of the impact and function of a diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to examine patients' views about the relative impact and function of lay and medical diagnoses for stomach and throat problems. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was carried out among 900 consecutive patients attending nine general practices across England. A total of 740 questionnaires were completed (response rate: 82.2%). Each participant rated a series of statements describing the impact upon the patient and the function for the doctor following both a stomach and a throat problem case scenario involving either a lay (stomach upset/sore throat) or medical (gastroenteritis/tonsillitis) label. RESULTS: The results showed consistent differences between the lay and medical labels for both stomach and throat problems in terms of their impact upon the patient and their function for the doctor. In particular, the medical labels were rated as beneficial for the patient in terms of validating the sick role and improving their confidence in the doctor. In contrast, the lay labels resulted in a greater sense of ownership of the problem which could be associated with unwanted responsibility and blame. In addition, the medical labels were seen to provide the doctor with a greater sense of professionalism, as giving them a clearer role in the consultation and to imply less blame on the part of the patient. 'Stomach upset' was also seen as a more pragmatic label than 'gastroenteritis'. CONCLUSION: Although much current prescriptive literature in general practice advocates the use of lay language in the consultation as a means to promote better doctor-patient partnerships, the issue of diagnosis is more complex than this. Patients attribute greater benefits to the use of medical labels for themselves and state that such medical labels are of greater benefit to the doctor.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗