Pediatricians’ Communication about Medical Uncertainty

Goal-Oriented Communication and Uncertainty Management

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21616652
AutoresAnna M Kerr (0000-0002-4778-8515, Ohio University, autor de correspondencia), Valerie Rubinsky (0000-0001-5683-1733, University of Maine at Augusta), Kayla Duty (Ohio University), Kayla M Duty (Ohio University)
Año2023
Volumen38
Número7
Páginas1454-1466
Fecha de publicación2023-06-07
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaHealth Communication (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1041-0236 • E-ISSN: 1532-7027
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10410236.2021.2012896
PMID34894911
OpenAlexW4200216054
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas5
Referencias citadas51

Despite the prevalence of uncertainty in medicine, many physicians experience anxiety as a result of medical uncertainty and are reluctant to discuss uncertainty with others. When pediatricians do disclose uncertainty to parents, they are managing both the parents' and their own feelings of uncertainty. The current study applies uncertainty management theory and multiple goals theory to explore pediatricians' communication about uncertainty. We collected data using in-depth semi-structured interviews with 18 pediatricians. The results suggest that pediatricians prioritize task and relational goals with parents and task and identity goals with fellow physicians. Though, their appraisal of uncertainty influences their goal-oriented communication. The results highlight the relationship between uncertainty management theory and a multiple goals framework. These frameworks provide a valuable approach for gaining a more thorough understanding of pediatrician communication in the context of uncertainty

Anxiety · Feeling · Medical education · Psychiatry · Applied Psychology · Clinical Reasoning and Diagnostic Skills · Empathy and Medical Education · Medicine · Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare · Psychology · Social Psychology