Patient Involvement: A New Source of Stress in Health Care Work?
2016 (English)In: Health Communication, ISSN 1041-0236, E-ISSN 1532-7027, Vol. 31, no 12, p. 1566-1572Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Patients have become increasingly well informed with higher expectations to be involved in decision-making processes regarding their care and treatment. However, few studies have examined the impact of patient involvement on health care providers' partnership-building communication. The aim of this study was to measure and explore the self-reported effects of patient involvement on the work of physicians and nurses. A questionnaire survey was distributed among cardiology staff in 12 Swedish hospitals (N=488, response rate 67%). The sample was comprised of registered nurses (RNs, n=303), licensed practical nurses (LPNs, n=132), and physicians (MDs, n=53). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine seven questionnaire statements concerning implications of patient involvement for one's clinical work. Regression analyses were used to examine factors associated with staff's partnership-building communication. Analysis confirmed two distinct factors accounting for 57% of the total variance, representing both negativeHasslesand positiveUpliftsaspects of patient involvement. Regression analyses revealed that only positive aspects (i.e., uplifts) of patient involvement predicted staff behavior aimed at involving patients. Working with actively involved patients may be a source of stress, both negative and positive, for health care professionals. By developing work routines for involving patients in their care, health care workplaces may help health care professionals to buffer the negative effects, and enhance the positive effects, of that stress.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2016. Vol. 31, no 12, p. 1566-1572
National Category
Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-304131DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2015.1052872ISI: 000382564700013PubMedID: 27054396OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-304131DiVA, id: diva2:1023273
Funder
Swedish Association of Local Authorities and RegionsSwedish Heart Lung Foundation2016-10-042016-10-032017-11-30Bibliographically approved