How do patients and doctors-to-be perceive systemic lupus erythematosus?

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess and compare illness perception of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) held by 6th-year medical students and patients suffering from SLE. The study group consisted of 104 students (66 women; 63.5 %), mean age 24.7 (±1), and 64 outpatients with SLE (60 women; 93.7 %). All patients were treated at a university rheumatology outpatient clinic. Mean patients' age was 44.3 years (±12.5). Mean duration of the disease was 11 years (±6.8). The Polish version of Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) was used to assess five dimensions of illness perception. The students were asked to complete a modified version of B-IPQ designed to measure health professionals' illness perception. Significant differences were found in all but one B-IPQ scores. The students obtained significantly higher scores than the SLE patients in consequences, identity, concern and emotional response, whereas significantly lower scores in personal control, treatment control and understanding were noted among students. No differences were found in timeline scores. Medical students' perception of SLE is more threatening and more negative than that of patients'. Doctors-to-be perceive SLE as being less controllable, more burdensome and having more consequences than patients do. Additionally, they believe the disease causes more emotional concern. The article discusses possible explanations together with positive and negative aspects of the discrepancies.

Relevant non‐pharmacologic topics for clinical research in rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases: The patient perspective

“…This study points out the discrepancy between patient and physician points of view: questions about clinical research considered scientifically relevant from the physicians, are not necessarily relevant from the patient's perspective 28 . This supports the idea that active patient involvement is essential, more and more, for achieving true translational research 29‐32 …”

“…Before starting the analysis, This study points out the discrepancy between patient and physician points of view: questions about clinical research considered scientifically relevant from the physicians, are not necessarily relevant from the patient's perspective. 28 This supports the idea that active patient involvement is essential, more and more, for achieving true translational research. [29][30][31][32] The results, in line with the theory of behavioral economics, highlighted the nuanced and complex nature of the factors contributing to patients' perceptions of disease symptoms such as psychological well-being, physical activity and the doctor-patient relationship according to very recent data.…”

Satisfaction with control of systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis: physician and patient perspectives

“…A recent study evaluating disease perception by patients with SLE and final-year medical students found significant differences between these groups; medical students, compared with patients, perceived SLE to be significantly more threatening (ie, less controllable, with higher burden of symptoms and emotional response). 21 …”

The role of explanatory models of breast cancer in breast cancer prevention behaviors among Arab-Israeli physicians and laywomen

“…Comparative studies of EM of illnesses between physicians and patients have yielded mixed results. Ample research supports the fact that physicians have different EMs or perceptions of illness than their patients (e.g., Haidet et al, 2008;Weller et al, 2012;Nowicka-Sauer et al, 2016), even if they share the same language and culture (see, e.g., Aido and Harpham, 2001;Weller et al, 2012). These studies' findings imply that medicine is a type of 'culture' as it is characterized by the biomedical understanding of the body and pathology (Kleinman, 1980;Schouten and Meeuwesen, 2006;Tirodkar et al, 2011;Lupton, 2012), whereas patients' EMs are influenced by, among other things, culture (Kleinman et al, 2006).…”