Doctors May Drop Ball With Hepatitis C Patients

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http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docid=518469

Doctors May Drop Ball With Hepatitis C Patients

FRIDAY, April 23 (HealthDayNews) -- Poor communication skills and

incompetence are among the problems cited by people with hepatitis C virus

who say they're not satisfied with their doctors, says a study in the April

issue of Hepatology.

The study, which included 322 patients at the University of Iowa, found that

23 percent questioned the competence of their doctor and 42 percent had

communication problems with their doctor.

Of the patients who reported communication problems with their doctor, 69

percent identified poor doctor communication skills as the main issue. This

left patients feeling rushed, ignored, misunderstood and treated unkindly.

Some patients felt their doctor wasn't able to diagnose or treat their

disease and others felt they were stigmatized by their doctor as sexually

promiscuous or as a drug abuser.

Emotional problems and low levels of social support were more common among

HCV patients who reported conflict with their doctor. The study also found

an association between reported conflict and patient failure to respond to

antiviral therapy for hepatitis C.

" Although additional, prospective studies are needed to determine whether

communications difficulties are a determinant of treatment outcome, these

results lead us to question whether conflict between patients and their

physicians may adversely affect medical adherence, " the study authors wrote.

Treatment for hepatitis C involves 48 weeks of injectable and oral drug

therapy.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about hepatitis

C.

(SOURCE: Wiley & Sons Inc., news release, April 2004)

Copyright © 2004 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.

[Guest guest]

http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docid=518469

Doctors May Drop Ball With Hepatitis C Patients

FRIDAY, April 23 (HealthDayNews) -- Poor communication skills and

incompetence are among the problems cited by people with hepatitis C virus

who say they're not satisfied with their doctors, says a study in the April

issue of Hepatology.

The study, which included 322 patients at the University of Iowa, found that

23 percent questioned the competence of their doctor and 42 percent had

communication problems with their doctor.

Of the patients who reported communication problems with their doctor, 69

percent identified poor doctor communication skills as the main issue. This

left patients feeling rushed, ignored, misunderstood and treated unkindly.

Some patients felt their doctor wasn't able to diagnose or treat their

disease and others felt they were stigmatized by their doctor as sexually

promiscuous or as a drug abuser.

Emotional problems and low levels of social support were more common among

HCV patients who reported conflict with their doctor. The study also found

an association between reported conflict and patient failure to respond to

antiviral therapy for hepatitis C.

" Although additional, prospective studies are needed to determine whether

communications difficulties are a determinant of treatment outcome, these

results lead us to question whether conflict between patients and their

physicians may adversely affect medical adherence, " the study authors wrote.

Treatment for hepatitis C involves 48 weeks of injectable and oral drug

therapy.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about hepatitis

C.

(SOURCE: Wiley & Sons Inc., news release, April 2004)

Copyright © 2004 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.

[Guest guest]

http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docid=518469

Doctors May Drop Ball With Hepatitis C Patients

FRIDAY, April 23 (HealthDayNews) -- Poor communication skills and

incompetence are among the problems cited by people with hepatitis C virus

who say they're not satisfied with their doctors, says a study in the April

issue of Hepatology.

The study, which included 322 patients at the University of Iowa, found that

23 percent questioned the competence of their doctor and 42 percent had

communication problems with their doctor.

Of the patients who reported communication problems with their doctor, 69

percent identified poor doctor communication skills as the main issue. This

left patients feeling rushed, ignored, misunderstood and treated unkindly.

Some patients felt their doctor wasn't able to diagnose or treat their

disease and others felt they were stigmatized by their doctor as sexually

promiscuous or as a drug abuser.

Emotional problems and low levels of social support were more common among

HCV patients who reported conflict with their doctor. The study also found

an association between reported conflict and patient failure to respond to

antiviral therapy for hepatitis C.

" Although additional, prospective studies are needed to determine whether

communications difficulties are a determinant of treatment outcome, these

results lead us to question whether conflict between patients and their

physicians may adversely affect medical adherence, " the study authors wrote.

Treatment for hepatitis C involves 48 weeks of injectable and oral drug

therapy.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about hepatitis

C.

(SOURCE: Wiley & Sons Inc., news release, April 2004)

Copyright © 2004 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.

[Guest guest]

http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docid=518469

Doctors May Drop Ball With Hepatitis C Patients

FRIDAY, April 23 (HealthDayNews) -- Poor communication skills and

incompetence are among the problems cited by people with hepatitis C virus

who say they're not satisfied with their doctors, says a study in the April

issue of Hepatology.

The study, which included 322 patients at the University of Iowa, found that

23 percent questioned the competence of their doctor and 42 percent had

communication problems with their doctor.

Of the patients who reported communication problems with their doctor, 69

percent identified poor doctor communication skills as the main issue. This

left patients feeling rushed, ignored, misunderstood and treated unkindly.

Some patients felt their doctor wasn't able to diagnose or treat their

disease and others felt they were stigmatized by their doctor as sexually

promiscuous or as a drug abuser.

Emotional problems and low levels of social support were more common among

HCV patients who reported conflict with their doctor. The study also found

an association between reported conflict and patient failure to respond to

antiviral therapy for hepatitis C.

" Although additional, prospective studies are needed to determine whether

communications difficulties are a determinant of treatment outcome, these

results lead us to question whether conflict between patients and their

physicians may adversely affect medical adherence, " the study authors wrote.

Treatment for hepatitis C involves 48 weeks of injectable and oral drug

therapy.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about hepatitis

C.

(SOURCE: Wiley & Sons Inc., news release, April 2004)

Copyright © 2004 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.