Table 1.
What patients want from their general practitioner: descriptive data and factor analysis. Figures are numbers (percentage) of patients
| Stem (unless specified): I want the doctor to. . . | Very strongly agree | Strongly agree | Agree | Neutral/ disagree | Factor loading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Factor 1 communication: illness experience, communication, and doctor-patient relationship* | |||||
| Deal with my worries about the problem | 221 (27) | 189 (23) | 308 (38) | 95 (12) | 0.55 |
| Listen to everything I have to say about my problem | 275 (34) | 235 (29) | 273 (33) | 38 (5) | 0.70 |
| Be interested in what I want to know | 197 (24) | 211 (26) | 323 (39) | 89 (11) | 0.51 |
| Understand my main reason for coming | 222 (28) | 224 (29) | 314 (40) | 24 (3) | 0.69 |
| Be friendly and approachable | 332 (42) | 214 (27) | 234 (30) | 5 (1) | 0.71 |
| (Full question:) I want to feel really understood | 270 (34) | 225 (29) | 274 (35) | 17 (2) | 0.71 |
| Find out how serious my problem is | 316 (40) | 231 (30) | 210 (27) | 25 (3) | 0.74 |
| Clearly explain what the problem is | 354 (45) | 244 (31) | 170 (22) | 16 (2) | 0.74 |
| Clearly explain what should be done | 314 (40) | 243 (31) | 215 (28) | 10 (1) | 0.68 |
| Factor 2 partnership: interest in beliefs, expectations, and negotiating common ground* | |||||
| Be interested in what I think the problem is | 201 (26) | 186 (24) | 273 (35) | 125 (16) | 0.50 |
| Discuss and agree with me what the problem is | 215 (27) | 215 (27) | 255 (33) | 98 (13) | 0.61 |
| Be interested in what I want done | 179 (23) | 177 (23) | 298 (38) | 128 (16) | 0.79 |
| Be interested in what treatment I want | 172 (22) | 161 (21) | 266 (34) | 182 (23) | 0.83 |
| Discuss and agree with me on treatment | 212 (27) | 198 (25) | 263 (34) | 111 (14) | 0.65 |
| Factor 3: health promotion* | |||||
| Give advice on how to reduce the risk of future illness | 193 (24) | 197 (24) | 331 (41) | 85 (11) | 0.61 |
| Give advice on how to stay healthy in future | 182 (23) | 197 (24) | 306 (38) | 124 (15) | 0.65 |
| Other aspects of consultation desired (not loading strongly on to any factor) | |||||
| Practical medicine: | |||||
| Examine me fully | 104 (14) | 139 (18) | 245 (32) | 280 (36) | |
| (Full question) I want a prescription | 35 (5) | 38 (5) | 118 (15) | 593 (76) | |
| Give advice on what I can do | 188 (23) | 199 (25) | 353 (44) | 66 (8) | |
| Appreciating the whole person: | |||||
| Understand my emotional needs | 133 (17) | 134 (17) | 297 (37) | 241 (30) | |
| Be interested in how it (the problem) affects my life | 236 (29) | 204 (25) | 282 (35) | 95 (12) | |
*
Cronbach's α for scales based on factor 1=0.92, 2=0.87, 3=0.90.