Table 1.
Questionnaire items (translated to English) and corresponding references for a survey on German pet owners' perception of communication with their veterinarian.
| Variable code | Questionnaire item | Reference/generalized findings | Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| V9 | My vet encourages me to describe my pet's health complaints in explicit detail. | PO expect the vet to ask the “right” questions./Patients like to disclose health problems (22). | Active listening |
| V10 | My vet gives me enough time to consider all my questions and answers. | PO expect communication in an unhurried environment/PO wish for communication in a pace that accommodates assimilation (20). | |
| V3 | My vet listens to me with attentive interest. | PO expect to/should be listened to attentively (20, 22, 28). | |
| V5 | My vet asks me easy understandable questions about what has been going on with my pet. | PO expect clear and understandable questions (22). | Verbal communication |
| V34 | I often get the feeling that my vet has not enough time to answer all my questions. | Pet owners worry they may take too much time of the veterinarian (20, 22). | |
| V8 | My vet uses a concise and non-medical language to explain things to me. | PO expect the vet to speak in an understandable language without jargon (20, 22). | |
| V1 | My veterinarian is a likable person. | PO wish to/should be communicated with in a nice way (20). | |
| V31 | I feel uncomfortable to ask questions because my vet might think I did not listen to his/her explanations properly. | PO worry about appearing foolish by asking questions (20). | |
| V2 | My vet sees my pet as an individual with individual needs. | Discussion/Expert review | Empathic behavior |
| V6 | My vet handles my pet with friendly respect. | Discussion/Expert review (14). | |
| V24 | My vet encouraged me to give my opinion and ideas about what might be the cause of my pet's health issues. | PO wish to/should share their perspectives and beliefs (40). | |
| V4 | My vet accepts my personal point of view without giving disrespectful remarks. | PO like communication with a nonjudgmental attitude (20). | |
| V7 | My vet addresses my worries and fears. | PO like to/should be able to disclose concerns (20, 22, 26, 40). | |
| V33 | I am very nervous during a consultation at the vet's. | Discussion/Expert review | |
| V11 | My vet explained to me the pros and cons of each therapeutic option we had. | PO like to/should be provided with information (22, 39). | Shared Decision Making |
| V25 | My vet explained to me the pros and cons of further diagnostic tests. | PO want to participate in decision making (22, 39). | |
| V14 | My vet asked me whether I can implement the therapies in everyday life. | Adapted from PEF Q9 (SDM measurement tool) (39). | |
| V16 | Summarized variable: My vet and I made a clear determination of what has to be done in cases of cure, no cure, or occurrence of undesirable side effects. | Adapted from PEF Q9 (SDM measurement tool) (39). | |
| V21 | My vet explained the results of diagnostic tests (e.g. x-rays, laboratory results) to me in detail. | PO like to/should be provided with information (22, 39). | |
| V26 | My vet and I weighed the different therapeutic options for my pet together. | PO want to participate in decision making (22, 39). | |
| V17 | My vet and I made a joint decision about which therapy option to choose. | PO wand to participate in decision making (22). | |
| V35 | In general I wish my vet would provide me more information about my pet's health. | PO like to/should be provided with information (20, 22). | Information Giving |
| V12 | My vet asked me what I already knew about my pet's health issue. | PO like to be asked for previous experience. | |
| V13 | My vet asked me how much more information I would like to get about my pet's health issue. | Evaluate information preference (20). | |
| V15 | My vet explained to me in detail which undesirable side-effects may result from the medication. | PO like to/should be provided with information (22). | |
| V18 | My vet explained to me the effects of each prescribed drug. | PO like to/should be provided with information (22). | |
| V19 | My vet encouraged me to learn more about my pet's health. | Activate PO as a goal of SDM | |
| V36 | My vet handed me a detailed medication plan. | PO like to/should be provided with information. | |
| V20 | My vet explained to me precisely how the therapeutic measures need to be done. | PO like to/should be provided with information. | |
| V23 | My vet showed me in detail how I should apply the drugs correctly (e.g. how I make sure my cat is taking its pill) | PO like /should be provided with information. | |
| V30 | I wish my vet would be more open to alternative/complementary treatment options. | PO like to be given different options of care (22). | |
| V32 | In general many questions occur only after I arrived at home/left the veterinarian. | Discussion/Expert review. | |
| V27 | Before a treatment or examination was done, my vet informed me about the anticipated costs. | PO like to discuss out-of-pocket costs (21). | |
| V37 | I always followed the instructions my vet gave me. | Discussion/Expert review. | Pet owners' need for alternatives |
| V22 | I was satisfied with the decisions that have been made. | Discussion/Expert review. | |
| V28 | I already consulted an alternative health provider or homeopath because of dissatisfaction with my vet's care. | Discussion/Expert review. | |
| V29 | I already consulted an animals' physiotherapist or osteopath because of dissatisfaction with my vet's care. | Discussion/Expert review. |
Table includes variable code and initially proposed latent factors for a preliminary theoretical model. Preliminary model assumptions were verified by means of exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. PO, Pet owner.