Table 2.
Modified Patient–Practitioner orientation scale (PPOS): Mean scores and SD
| All participants (n=191) | Portugal (n=55) | India (n=78) | Iran (n=58) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPOS Items (Mean±SD) | ||||
| 1. The audiologist is the one who should decide what gets discussed during an appointment | 2.4±1.1 | 2.4±1.2 | 2.3±1.2 | 2.5±1.2 |
| 2. Although healthcare is less personal these days, this is a small price to pay for audiological advances | 3.0±1.4 | 4.3±1.2 | 2.7±1.2 | 2.1±1.0 |
| 3. The most important part of the standard audiological appointment is the hearing test | 2.7±1.4 | 3.4±1.2 | 2.5±1.5 | 2.3±1.1 |
| 4. It is often best for clients if they do not have the full explanation of their audiological condition | 4.6±1.3 | 5.0±1.0 | 4.5±1.5 | 4.2±1.3 |
| 5. Clients should rely on their audiologist’s knowledge and not try to find out about their conditions on their own | 3.2±1.7 | 4.2±1.4 | 3.4±1.6 | 2.0±1.3 |
| 6. When audiologists ask a lot of questions about a client's background, they are prying too much into personal matters | 4.4±1.3 | 5.0±1.0 | 4.0±1.3 | 4.2±1.4 |
| 7. If audiologists are truly good at diagnosis and treatment, the way they relate to clients is not that important | 4.8±1.2 | 5.5±0.7 | 4.4±1.3 | 4.6±1.2 |
| 8. Many clients continue asking questions even though they are not learning anything new | 3.2±1.2 | 3.4±1.2 | 3.2±1.2 | 3.0±1.2 |
| 9. Clients should be treated as if they were partners with the audiologist, equal in power and status* | 4.1±1.6 | 4.7±1.6 | 3.7±1.5 | 4.0±1.5 |
| 10. Clients generally want reassurance rather than information about their audiological condition | 2.8±1.1 | 3.3±1.0 | 2.7±1.1 | 2.5±1.1 |
| 11. If an audiologist's primary tools are being open and warm, the audiologist will not have a lot of success | 4.3±1.4 | 4.6±1.1 | 3.8±1.4 | 4.6±1.3 |
| 12. When clients disagree with their audiologist, this is a sign that the audiologist does not have the client's respect and trust | 3.8±1.2 | 4.6±1.0 | 3.7±1.1 | 3.1±1.2 |
| 13. A management plan cannot succeed if it is in conflict with a client's lifestyle or values* | 4.7±1.1 | 4.7±1.1 | 4.6±1.0 | 4.7±1.2 |
| 14. Most clients want to get in and out of the audiologist's office as quickly as possible | 3.5±1.4 | 4.4±1.2 | 3.3±1.2 | 2.9±1.3 |
| 15. The client must always be aware that the audiologist is in charge | 2.6±1.3 | 2.7±1.2 | 2.4±1.1 | 2.9±1.5 |
| 16. It is not that important to know a client's culture and background in order to treat the client's audiological condition | 4.6±1.3 | 5.3±0.9 | 4.3±1.4 | 4.6±1.2 |
| 17. Humour is a major ingredient in the audiologist's management of the client* | 4.1±1.3 | 4.8±1.0 | 3.8±1.3 | 3.8±1.4 |
| 18. When clients look up audiological information on their own, this usually confuses more than it helps | 2.9±1.3 | 2.6±1.0 | 2.8±1.4 | 3.4±1.3 |
| PPOS scales (mean±SD) | ||||
| Full scale | 3.6±0.6 | 4.2±0.5 | 3.5±0.6 | 3.4±0.4 |
| Sharing subscale | 3.6±0.7 | 4.2±0.6 | 3.4±0.7 | 3.2±0.5 |
| Caring subscale | 3.7±0.6 | 4.1±0.5 | 3.5±0.5 | 3.6±0.5 |
Score of 1 (strongly agree), most clinician-centred; Score of 6 (strongly disagree), most patient-centred. Items 9, 13 and 17 (*) are reversely worded items which were reverse scored.
PPOS,