Communication skills of general practitioners in Nairobi, Kenya: a descriptive observational study.
communication
consultations
general practice
general practitioners
primary care
primary health care
private sector
Journal
BJGP open
ISSN: 2398-3795
Titre abrégé: BJGP Open
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101713531
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Sep 2022
Sep 2022
Historique:
received:
12
12
2021
revised:
18
02
2022
accepted:
08
03
2022
pubmed:
12
5
2022
medline:
12
5
2022
entrez:
11
5
2022
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
High-quality primary care needs to be person-centred, and GPs must communicate effectively to ensure continuity and coordination of care. In Kenya, there is little knowledge about the quality of communication in consultations by GPs. To evaluate the quality of communication in consultations by GPs. Descriptive, observational study of 23 GP consultations in 13 private sector primary care facilities in Nairobi, Kenya. One consultation with a randomly selected adult patient was recorded per GP, and 16 communication skills evaluated with the Stellenbosch University Observation Tool (SUOT). A total percentage score was calculated per consultation, and compared with the GPs' demographics and the consultation complexity and duration using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, version 25). The GPs' median age was 30.0 years (interquartile range [IQR] 29.0-32.0) and median consultation time was 7.0 minutes (IQR 3.0-9.0). Median overall score was 64.3% (IQR 48.4-75.7). GPs demonstrated skills in gathering information, making and explaining the diagnosis, and suggesting appropriate management. GPs did not make an appropriate introduction, explore the context or patients' perspectives, allow shared decision making, or provide adequate safety netting. There was a positive correlation between the scores and duration of the consultations ( Consultations were brief and biomedical by young GPs. GPs need further training in communication skills, particularly with regard to delivering person-centred consultations. Deploying family physicians to the primary care setting would also improve the overall quality of service delivery.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
High-quality primary care needs to be person-centred, and GPs must communicate effectively to ensure continuity and coordination of care. In Kenya, there is little knowledge about the quality of communication in consultations by GPs.
AIM
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the quality of communication in consultations by GPs.
DESIGN & SETTING
METHODS
Descriptive, observational study of 23 GP consultations in 13 private sector primary care facilities in Nairobi, Kenya.
METHOD
METHODS
One consultation with a randomly selected adult patient was recorded per GP, and 16 communication skills evaluated with the Stellenbosch University Observation Tool (SUOT). A total percentage score was calculated per consultation, and compared with the GPs' demographics and the consultation complexity and duration using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, version 25).
RESULTS
RESULTS
The GPs' median age was 30.0 years (interquartile range [IQR] 29.0-32.0) and median consultation time was 7.0 minutes (IQR 3.0-9.0). Median overall score was 64.3% (IQR 48.4-75.7). GPs demonstrated skills in gathering information, making and explaining the diagnosis, and suggesting appropriate management. GPs did not make an appropriate introduction, explore the context or patients' perspectives, allow shared decision making, or provide adequate safety netting. There was a positive correlation between the scores and duration of the consultations (
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Consultations were brief and biomedical by young GPs. GPs need further training in communication skills, particularly with regard to delivering person-centred consultations. Deploying family physicians to the primary care setting would also improve the overall quality of service delivery.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35545265
pii: BJGPO.2021.0235
doi: 10.3399/BJGPO.2021.0235
pmc: PMC9680749
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2022, The Authors.
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