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Written communication

from Psychology, health and illness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2014

By
Lorraine M. Noble
Edited by
Susan Ayers ,
Andrew Baum ,
Chris McManus ,
Stanton Newman ,
Kenneth Wallston ,
John Weinman  and
Robert West
Lorraine M. Noble
Affiliation:
University College London
Susan Ayers
Affiliation:
University of Sussex
Andrew Baum
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
Chris McManus
Affiliation:
St Mary's Hospital Medical School
Stanton Newman
Affiliation:
University College and Middlesex School of Medicine
Kenneth Wallston
Affiliation:
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
John Weinman
Affiliation:
United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas's
Robert West
Affiliation:
St George's Hospital Medical School, University of London
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Summary

This chapter considers two domains of written communication in health care: (1) written information for patients, and (2) written information about patients.

Written information for patients

What is it for?

Written materials are used:

  1. to provide information, for example, about investigations, screening, health promotion, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and aftercare (e.g. discharge planning)

  2. to aid decision-making, for example, about investigations, treatments or screening, or as part of a process to obtain a record of informed consent to treatment or a clinical trial

  3. to encourage uptake of healthcare (e.g. investigations, screening, or treatment)

  4. to train patients to communicate more effectively in consultations with healthcare professionals.

When is it needed?

Studies have consistently found that the majority of patients want to be kept informed about their condition and treatment, and that they want more information than they are typically provided (Audit Commission, 1993; Benbassat et al., 1998). In addition, many studies have shown that patients have gaps in understanding and recall following face-to-face consultations (Ley, 1988). Investigators have concluded that written information plays an important role in routine care, either to provide a reminder of what has been discussed or more detailed information.

Supplementary written information is also useful when there are problems which create barriers to the effectiveness of face-to-face communication, for example:

  1. i. when there are high levels of emotion (such as fear) or ‘high stakes’ consultations (e.g. serious illness)

  2. ii. due to the complexity or quantity of information (e.g. presenting statistical information about treatment options, or lists of medication side effects)

  3. iii. when communication is affected by patient factors (e.g. age, disability, cognitive impairments, language or cultural issues).

Type
Chapter
Information
Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine , pp. 517 - 522
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2007

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