title: Gist and verbatim communication concerning medication risks/benefits.
abstract: To describe the information about medication risks/benefits that rheumatologists provide during patient office visits, the gist that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) extract from the information provided, and the relationship between communication and medication satisfaction.
  
  
  
  Data from 169 RA patients were analyzed. Each participant had up to three visits audiotaped. Four RA patients coded the audiotapes using a Gist Coding Scheme and research assistants coded the audiotapes using a Verbatim Coding Scheme.
  
  
  
  When extracting gist from the information discussed during visits, patient coders distinguished between discussion concerning the possibility of medication side effects versus expression of significant safety concerns. Among patients in the best health, nearly 80% reported being totally satisfied with their medications when the physician communicated the gist that the medication was effective, compared to approximately 50% when this gist was not communicated.
  
  
  
  Study findings underscore the multidimensional nature of medication risk communication and the importance of communication concerning medication effectiveness/need.
  
  
  
  Health care providers should ensure that patients understand that medication self-management practices can minimize potential risks. Communicating simple gist messages may increase patient satisfaction, especially messages about benefits for well-managed patients. Optimal communication also requires shared understanding of desired therapeutic outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. Electronic address: s_blalock@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Blalock
authors.affiliation: Health Behavior, Gillings Global School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: DeVellis
authors.affiliation: Social and Administrative Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chewning
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: Betsy L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Sleath
authors.affiliation: Human Neuroscience Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Valerie F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Reyna
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009819:Office Visits; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012219:Rheumatology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents
keywords: Medications; Patientprovider communication; Rheumatoid arthritis; Risk communication