[Determinants of severely injured patients' trust in their hospital physicians].
BACKGROUND
Several studies have shown negative effects of insufficient physician-patient interaction leading to a lack of compliance, worse subjective and objective evaluation of treatment outcome, increased consumption of pain medication, and decreased patient satisfaction. The aim of the present study was to identify patient-, physician-, and/or hospital-specific determinants which have a significant influence on the trust of severely injured patients in their physicians.


METHODS
A written questionnaire was sent to 121 severely injured patients hurt predominantly in traffic accidents and treated between July 1996 and July 2001 in two departments of surgery in the German state of Northrhine-Westfalia. Applying the Total Design Method, a response rate of 74.4% (n=90) could be achieved.


RESULTS
Using univariate analysis as a preselection tool, we developed a logistic regression model which identified four significant predictors of patients' trust in their physicians: (1) patient evaluation of information, (2) patient evaluation of their physician's decision policy, (3) patient evaluation of treatment success, and (4) patient age.


CONCLUSIONS
Besides age of patient and subjective evaluation of treatment success, it is psychosocial aspects of interaction which influence trust in a physician. The results of this analysis confirm the importance of physician-patient communication for medical education, also for surgeons.
Ommen
O
O
Zentrum für Versorgungsforschung (ZVFK), Medizinische Fakultät der Universität zu Köln, Eupener Strasse 129, 50933 Köln, Germany. oliver.ommen@uk-koeln.de
Janssen
C
C
Neugebauer
E
E
Pfaff
H
H
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D010358:Patient Participation; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D035502:Trust