RESEARCH PAPER
How do patients perceive ambulatory psychiatric care and what are their needs?
 
More details
Hide details
1
Department of Psychiatry, Medical University, Bialystok, Poland
 
 
Corresponding author
Aleksandra Małus   

Department of Psychiatry, Medical University, Bialystok, Poland
 
 
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2018;25(1):90-94
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Introduction and objective:
The quality of a doctor-patient relationship plays a vital role in all fields of medicine. In the case of psychiatry, this role is special as it provides the foundation for the whole therapeutic process. The aim of this study was to investigate the patient’s perspective on psychiatric visits: patient’s attitudes towards the psychiatrist, patient’s view of the patient-psychiatrist relationship, and the patient’s needs and expectations from this relationship.

Material and Methods:
615 psychiatric outpatients responded to the anonymous questionnaires connected with their attitudes towards the psychiatrist, evaluation of the doctor, and expectations from psychiatric care. The study was conducted in 10 out of 30 public centres for psychiatric care in north-eastern Poland.

Results:
Generally, the patients liked and positively evaluated their psychiatrists. Patient’s liking for the doctor was connected with the feeling that the doctor also liked the patient, as well as with perceiving the doctor as competent and willing to meet the patient. The longer the treatment with a particular psychiatrist and the rarer need to consult the doctor, the more positive attitude and evaluation of the doctor patients had. According to the patients, the most significant expectations were associated with both conversation with the doctor and receiving emotional support.

Conclusions:
The key phase for forming the patient-psychiatrist relationship was the first stage of cooperation in which patients created their attitudes towards the doctor without modifying them at further stages. Thus, further studies on learning and developing the ability to establish the relationship with the patient, inspiring the patient’s trust and making psychiatric appointments comfortable from the first meeting, will be highly valuable

 
REFERENCES (30)
1.
Smith RC, Fortin AH, Dwamena F, Frankel RM. An evidence-based patient-centered method makes the biopsychosocial model scientific. Patient Educ Couns. 2013; 91: 265–70.
 
2.
McCabe R, Khanom H, Bailey P, Priebe S. Shared decision-making in ongoing outpatient psychiatric treatment. Patient Educ Couns. 2013; 91: 326–8.
 
3.
Oehl M, Hummer M, Fleischhacker WW. Compliance with anti-psychotic treatment. Acta Psychiatr Scan. 2000; 102(407): 83–6.
 
4.
Sluijs E, Dulmen S, Djik L, Ridder D, Heerdink R, Bensing J. Patient adherence to medical treatment: a meta review. Utrecht, Nivel, 2006.
 
5.
World Health Organization. Adherence to long-term therapies. Evidence for action. Geneva, WHO, 2003.
 
6.
Michi S, Miles J, Weinman J. Patient-centeredness in chronic illness: what is it and does it matter? Patient Educ Couns. 2003; 51: 197–206.
 
7.
Entwistle VA, Renfrew MJ, Yearley S, Lamont JF. Lay perspectives: Advantages for health research. Brit Med J. 1998; 319: 463–6.
 
8.
Mead N, Bower P. Patient-centeredness: A conceptual framework and review of the empirical literature. Soc Sci Med. 2000; 51: 1087–110.
 
9.
Thomson S, Doody G. Parallel paths? Patient and doctor priorities in psychiatric outpatient consultations. J Mant Health. 2010; 19(5): 461–9.
 
10.
Małus A, Galińska-Skok B, Hykiel R, Szulc A. The meaning of physician-patient relation for neuroleptic treatment. Arch Psychiatr Psychother. 2011; 4: 21–8.
 
11.
Hall JA, Horgan TG, Stein TS, Roter DL. Liking in the physician-patient relationship. Patient Educ Couns. 2002; 48: 69–77.
 
12.
Wensing M. Revised Europep instrument and user manual. UMC St Radboud, 2006.
 
13.
Roter DL, Hall JA, Kern DE, Barker LR, Cole KA, Roca RP. Improving physicians’ interviewing skills and reducing patient’ emotional distress: a randomized clinical trial. Arch Int Med. 1995; 155: 1877–84.
 
14.
Salmon P, Quine J. Patients’ intentions in primary care: measurement and preliminary investigation. Psychol Health. 1989; 3(2): 103–10.
 
15.
Valori R, Woloshynowych M, Bellenger N, Aluvihare V, Salmon P. The Patient Request Form: a way of measuring what patients want from their general practitioner. J Psychosom Res. 1996; 40(1): 87–94.
 
16.
Juczyński Z. Narzędzia pomiaru w promocji i psychologii zdrowia. (Measurement tools in health psychology and promotion.) Warszawa: Pracownia Testów Psychologicznych, 2009; 143–8.
 
17.
Shteingart H, Neiman T, Loewenstein Y. The role of first impression in operant learning. J Experiment Psychol. 2013; 142(2): 476–88.
 
18.
Shamir D, Szor H, Melamed Y. Dropout, early termination and detachment from a public psychiatric clinic. Psychiatr Danub. 2010; 22(1): 46–50.
 
19.
Zajonc R. Attitudinal effects of mere exposure . J Personal Social Psychol. 1968; 9(2): 1–27.
 
20.
Hall JA, Milburn M, Roter D, Daltroy L. Why are sicker patients less satisfied with their care? Health Psychol. 1998; 17: 70–5.
 
21.
Świtaj P, Wciórka J, Grygiel P, Anczewska M, Schaeffer E , Tyczyński K, Wiśniewski A. Experiences of stigma and discrimination among users of mental health services in Poland. Transcult Psychiatry. 2012; 49(1): 51–68.
 
22.
Steele C, Aronson J, Stereotype threat and the intellectual test performance of African American. J Personal Social Psychol. 1994; 69(5): 797–811.
 
23.
Hall JA, Epstein AM, DeCiantis M, McNeil BJ. Physicians’ liking for the patients: further evidence for the role of affect in medical care. Health Psychol. 1993; 12: 140–6.
 
24.
Hall JA, Dornan MC. Patient sociodemographic characteristics as predictors of satisfaction with medical care: a meta-analysis. Soc Sci Med. 1990; 30: 811–8.
 
25.
Roter DL, Hall JA. Doctors talking with patients/Patients talking with doctors. Westport, Connecticut London, 2006.
 
26.
Finset A., Person centered healthcare – Do we see any progress? Patient Educ Couns. 2008; 72: 174–5.
 
27.
Janczewska M, Raduj J, Induska A, Pałyska M, Prot K. Patients’ opinions on services provided in psychiatric and neurological wards – a comparison. Psychiatr Pol. 2010; 44(2): 255–65.
 
28.
Cruz M, Roter DL, Cruz RF, Wieland M, Larson S, Cooper LA, Pincus HA. Appointment length, psychiatrists’ communication behaviors, and medication management appointment adherence. Psychiatr Serv. 2013; 64(9): 886–92.
 
29.
Pribe S, Palumbo C, Ahmed S, Strappelli S, Gavrilovic JJ, Bremner S. How psychiatrists should introduce themselves in the first consultation: an experimental study. Br J Psychiatr. 2013; 202: 459–62.
 
30.
Levinson W, Frankel RM, Roter D, Drum M. How much do surgeons like their patients? Patient Educ Couns. 2006; 61: 429–34.
 
eISSN:1898-2263
ISSN:1232-1966
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top