Table 2.
Differences in observed measures of patient-clinician communication based on clinicians' self-reported empathy 1
| EMPATHY TERTILE 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Middle 3 IRR (95% CI) |
High 3 IRR (95% CI) |
|
| Clinician Behaviors | ||
|
| ||
| Emotional tone | 1.01 (0.97–1.06) | 0.99 (0.94–1.03) |
|
| ||
| Socio-emotional talk | 1.14 (0.90–1.44) | 1.02 (0.85–1.23) |
|
| ||
| Positive talk | 1.31 (1.01–1.71)* | 1.24 (0.98–1.59) |
|
| ||
| Emotional talk | 0.97 (0.74–1.27) | 0.79 (0.63–0.99)* |
|
| ||
| Question-asking | 1.42 (1.02–1.97)* | 1.15 (0.84–1.57) |
|
| ||
| Information-giving/counseling | 1.12 (0.87–1.44) | 0.95 (0.80–1.14) |
|
| ||
| Psychosocial | 1.21 (0.71–2.05) | 1.00 (0.70–1.43) |
|
| ||
| Biomedical | 1.11 (0.88–1.39) | 0.95 (0.78–1.14) |
|
| ||
| Patient Activation | 1.43 (1.03–1.99)* | 1.30 (0.98–1.71) |
|
| ||
| Patient Behaviors | ||
|
| ||
| Emotional tone | 1.02 (0.99–1.04) | 1.01 (0.98–1.04) |
|
| ||
| Socio-emotional talk | 1.19 (0.99–1.43) | 1.05 (0.87–1.27) |
|
| ||
| Question-asking | 1.06 (0.84–1.34) | 1.07 (0.83–1.37) |
|
| ||
| Information-giving | 1.45 (1.23–1.71)*** | 1.26 (1.02–1.54)* |
|
| ||
| Psychosocial | 1.40 (1.01–1.95)* | 1.13 (0.83–1.54) |
|
| ||
| Biomedical | 1.49 (1.27–1.74)*** | 1.35 (1.08–1.68)** |
|
| ||
| Patient Activation | 0.92 (0.73–1.17) | 0.98 (0.76–1.28) |
1
Data from 3 sites;
*
p<0.05,
**
p<0.01,
***
p<0.001
2
p-values and incidence rate ratios (IRR) obtained using negative binomial regression and GEE to account for clustering of patients within clinicians, adjusting for site. Higher values (greater than 1) indicate more frequent use of the particular communication behavior with an increase in clinician empathy score.
3
Low is reference category