title: [Influence of the patient's companion on the discussion and length of the clinical interview in primary health care].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out the percentage of patients who come accompanied to their medical appointments, their companion's profile and his/her influence on the discussion and the length of the clinical interview in Primary Health Care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adoratrices and La Orden Healthcare Centers. Health District: Huelva-Coast.
  
  
  METHODS
  Non-probabilistic randomized sample of 390 interviews in November 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was collected by 4 external observers on: the companion and his/her characteristics, length of clinical interview, the interview strategies employed, success and differences when with a companion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The companion was present in 30.5% of the clinical interviews (95% CI, 25.9%-35.3%). The typical companion is female (61.3%), 52 years old, wife and co-worker. Strategies were used in 6.7% of interviews (95% CI, 2.8%-15.6%), the most frequent being signalling. The difference as regards initial exposure without interruption was 2s without and with a companion (p=0.276). The interview finished with a difference of 46 s without companion and with companion (p=0.098). As regards the length of the clinical interview, without discussion it was 7 min long and with discussion 8 min and 38 s (p=0.034). There was discussion in 16.4% of the interviews (95% CI, 12.9%-20.5%) and there was agreement in 88.9% (95% CI, 78.4%-95.4%). The most frequent strategy was that of redirecting objectives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Approximately one third of the patients came accompanied. The most frequent profile was the co-worker. The companion does not have an effect on the length of the interview. Length increases when there is discussion.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Adoratrices, Huelva, España. lourdeslgr@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: López García-Ramos
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: López Martín
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Berbel Jiménez
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez de Colosía Civantos
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pedregal González