What’s in a name? An experimental study of patients’ views of the impact and function of a diagnosis

Abstract

Although much current prescriptive literature in general practice advocates the use of lay language in the consultation as a means to promote better doctor-patient partnerships, the issue of diagnosis is more complex than this. Patients attribute greater benefits to the use of medical labels for themselves and state that such medical labels are of greater benefit to the doctor.

Doctors’ use of euphemisms and their impact on patients’ beliefs about health: an experimental study of heart failure

“…To simplify the questionnaire the number of items in each subscale were reduced to three based on published reliability data (18). In addition, the patients were asked to rate items reflecting trust in the doctor as this has been shown to be influenced by choice of term in previous research (9). All but two of these subscales have acceptable reliability scores.…”

“…Recent research explored this dilemma and examined the ways in which the choice of a specific term can have an impact upon how patients perceive their problem. In particular, Ogden et al (9) carried out an experimental study of the impact of presenting patients with either a lay diagnosis (ie. Sore throat) or a medical diagnosis (ie.…”

The Impact of Medical Terminology in Self-Triage Decision-Making

“…Physicians should consider the impact of previous exposure to lay or medical labels on patients' sense of urgency for care and perceptions of disease characteristics (Young et al, 2008), as well as the impact of their own choice of disease label during patient-physician communication. Patients reported preferring physicians' use of medical labels because it validated their illness and enhanced their views of their physician's professionalism (Ogden et al, 2003). Consistent with findings that lay labels are perceived as less severe, less representative of disease, and more prevalent (Young et al, 2008), patients also felt a physician's use of lay labels indicated that the disease was less worrisome and would subside quickly (Ogden et al, 2003).…”

“…Patients reported preferring physicians' use of medical labels because it validated their illness and enhanced their views of their physician's professionalism (Ogden et al, 2003). Consistent with findings that lay labels are perceived as less severe, less representative of disease, and more prevalent (Young et al, 2008), patients also felt a physician's use of lay labels indicated that the disease was less worrisome and would subside quickly (Ogden et al, 2003). Based on this growing body of work, physicians should also avoid instances where particular labels may be misinterpreted and as a result, undermine treatment (Bokhour and Kressin, 2015).…”

The Role of Euphemisms in Healthcare Communication

“…Patients will respond differently when their diagnosis is given as medical terminology compared to as lay language [12]. In one study, use of the term "tonsillitis" made the patient feel they were be taken seriously and this resulted in greater confidence in the doctor.…”