Table 3.

Interpersonal Processes of Care (IPC) items overall and by level of health literacy.

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.