Table 3.
IPC Items | Overall (N=84) Mean (SD) | Inadequate literacy (N=37) Mean (SD) | Marginal or adequate literacy (N=47) Mean (SD) | P-value |
---|---|---|---|---|
General Clarity* | ||||
1. Did the doctors use medical words you did not understand? | 3.35 (1.14) | 2.92 (1.40) | 3.68 (0.73) | 0.004 |
2. Did you have trouble understanding your doctors because they spoke too fast? | 3.98 (1.06) | 3.81 (1.13) | 4.11 (1.01) | 0.21 |
Responsiveness to patient concerns | ||||
3. Did the doctors give you enough time to say what you thought was important? | 1.85 (1.14) | 2.27 (1.28) | 1.51 (0.88) | 0.003 |
4. Did the doctors listen carefully to what you had to say? | 1.62 (0.88) | 1.76 (1.04) | 1.51 (0.72) | 0.22 |
5. Did the doctors ignore what you told them? | 1.70 (0.92) | 1.81 (1.09) | 1.62 (0.77) | 0.38 |
6. Did the doctors take your concerns seriously? | 1.55 (0.92) | 1.65 (0.98) | 1.47 (0.88) | 0.38 |
Explanations of condition and prognosis | ||||
7. Did the doctors give you enough information about your health problems? | 1.88 (1.11) | 2.11 (1.27) | 1.70 (0.95) | 0.11 |
8. Did the doctors make sure you understand your health problems? | 1.62 (0.88) | 1.76 (0.98) | 1.51 (0.78) | 0.22 |
Explanations of processes of care | ||||
9. Did the doctors explain why a test was being done? | 1.70 (1.10) | 1.89 (1.24) | 1.55 (0.95) | 0.16 |
10. Did the doctors explain how the test was done? | 2.20 (1.35) | 2.27 (1.39) | 2.15 (1.34) | 0.69 |
11. Did the doctors tell you what they were doing as they examined you? | 1.99 (1.20) | 2.22 (1.34) | 1.81 (1.06) | 0.13 |
12. Did you feel confused about what was going on with your medical care because doctors did not explain things well? | 2.13 ((1.23) | 2.51 (1.47) | 1.83 (0.92) | 0.02 |
Explanations of self-care | ||||
13. Did the doctors tell you what you could do to take care of yourself at home? | 1.67 (1.09) | 1.81 (1.29) | 1.55 (0.90) | 0.31 |
14. Did the doctors tell you how to pay attention to your symptoms and when to call the doctor? | 2.01 (1.38) | 2.19 (1.60) | 1.87 (1.17) | 0.32 |
15. Did the doctors clearly explain how to take the medicine(that is when, how much and for how long)? | 1.88 (1.36) | 2.00 (1.53) | 1.79 (1.22) | 0.48 |
16. Did the doctors go over all the medicines you are taking? | 2.39 (1.55) | 2.51 (1.74) | 2.30 (1.40) | 0.54 |
17. Did the doctors give you written instruction about how to take the medicine (other than what was on the container)? | 3.29 (1.70) | 3.05 (1.75) | 3.48 (1.66) | 0.26 |
18. Did the doctors tell you the reason for taking each medicine? | 2.05 (1.43) | 2.24 (1.64) | 1.89 (1.24) | 0.29 |
19. Did the doctors tell you about side effects you might get from your medicine? | 3.32 (1.64) | 3.11 (1.73) | 3.49 (1.56) | 0.29 |
Empowerment | ||||
20. Did doctors make you feel that following your treatment plan would make a difference in your health? | 1.75 (1.07) | 1.89 (1.27) | 1.64 (0.90) | 0.31 |
21. Did the doctors make you feel that your everyday activities such as your diet and lifestyle would make a difference in your health? | 1.77 (1.21) | 1.81 (1.41) | 1.74 (1.03) | 0.81 |
Decision-making | ||||
22. Did the doctors try to involve you or include you in decisions about your treatment? | 2.43 (1.55) | 2.30 (1.49) | 2.53 (1.60) | 0.49 |
23. Did the doctors ask how you felt about different treatments? | 3.08 (1.58) | 2.89 (1.66) | 3.23 (1.51) | 0.33 |
24. Did the doctors make decision without taking your preferences and opinions into account? | 2.23 (1.35) | 2.34 (1.55) | 2.15 (1.20) | 0.54 |
25. Did you feel pressured by doctors in the hospital to have a treatment you were not sure you wanted? | 1.60 (0.97) | 1.81 (1.18) | 1.43 (0.74) | 0.09 |
Consideration of patients’ desire and ability to comply with recommendations | ||||
26. Did the doctors ask if you might have any problems actually doing the recommended treatment (for example taking the medication correctly)? | 3.82 (1.47) | 4.08 (1.40) | 3.62 (1.51) | 0.15 |
27. Did the doctors understand the kinds of problems you might have in doing the recommended treatment? | 2.43 (1.44) | 2.26 (1.52) | 2.57 (1.38) | 0.34 |
On the domain of General clarity, higher scores indicate more favorable responses. On other domains, lower scores indicate more favorable responses.