Teaching patients to speak up: past and future trends.
The patient role as discussed in popular and professional literature is in a transitional period, but actual patient behaviors remain predominantly traditional. This article summarizes advice to the public concerning patient-physician communication from the past 25 years of popular periodicals and recent self-help literature. The few extant programs for improving patient communication skills are identified. Recommendations are made for more extensive patient-focused education and research regarding skills development and behavior change.
D002170:Canada; D003142:Communication; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012106:Research; D012803:Sick Role; D014481:United States