title: Eliciting Personhood Within Clinical Practice: Effects on Patients, Families, and Health Care Providers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Failure to acknowledge personhood is often the cause of patient and family dissatisfaction. We developed the Patient Dignity Question (PDQ) as a simple means of inquiring about personhood: "What do I need to know about you as a person to give you the best care possible?"
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the PDQ on patients and families, evaluate its influence on health care providers (HCPs), and determine if HCP characteristics mediate receptivity to PDQ-elicited information.
  
  
  METHODS
  Palliative care patients or their family members were asked to respond to the PDQ. Responses were summarized, read to participants to ensure accuracy, and with permission, placed in their charts. Patient, family, and HCP responses to the PDQ were then elicited.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 126 participants (66 patients and 60 family members) responded to the PDQ; 99% indicated that the summaries were accurate, 97% permitted the summary to be placed in the chart, 93% felt that the information was important for HCPs to know, and 99% would recommend the PDQ for others. A total of 137 HCPs completed 293 evaluations of individual PDQs; 90% indicated that they learned something new from it, 64% that they were emotionally affected by it, 59% that it influenced their sense of empathy, and 44% that it influenced their care. HCP empathy, job satisfaction, having a meaningful life, and social support mediated responsiveness to PDQ-elicited information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PDQ offers an effective way of eliciting personhood, enhancing patient, family, and HCP experience alike.
authors.affiliation: Manitoba Palliative Care Research Unit, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Electronic address: harvey.chochinov@cancercare.mb.ca.
authors.forename: Harvey Max
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chochinov
authors.affiliation: Manitoba Palliative Care Research Unit, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; College of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McClement
authors.affiliation: Manitoba Palliative Care Research Unit, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; College of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hack
authors.affiliation: Manitoba Palliative Care Research Unit, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; College of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Genevieve
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: George & Fay Yee Center for Healthcare Innovation, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Brenden
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dufault
authors.affiliation: Palliative Medicine Section, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harlos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D028723:Personhood; D011581:Psychological Tests
keywords: Personhood; communication; dignity; empathy; job satisfaction