Turkish and German patients' recall of diagnosis and therapy before and following informed consent.
OBJECTIVE
Adequate patient knowledge is essential for good compliance, effective doctor-patient communications and is the basis for informed consent. The purpose of the study was to examine differences in recall of informed consent procedures between patients with different ethnicity and to identify potential explanatory factors.


METHODS
We analyzed 579 patients, attending and released from a gynecology department in Berlin, Germany, between March 1997 and October 1998. To assess actual understanding of disclosure information, Turkish and German patients' perceptions were compared with documented data of their diagnoses and therapy.


RESULTS
Overall, patients correctly identified 69% of their diagnosis and 76% of their therapy. On discharge overall patients' recall decreased significantly. Whereas German patients' knowledge increased, Turkish patients showed significant decreases in diagnosis and therapy recall.


CONCLUSIONS
The results reflect socio-demographic differences between ethnic groups and indicate deficiency of the informed consent process for patients belonging to an ethnic minority.
Pette
Matthias
M
Universitätsklinikum Charité, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Klinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. matthias.david@charite.de
Pachaly
Juergen
J
David
Matthias
M
D000328:Adult; D003144:Communication Barriers; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology