Perceptions of Health Care Provider Communication Activity Among American Cancer Survivors and Adults Without Cancer Histories: An Analysis of the 2003 Health Information Trends Survey (HINTS) Data

Provider communication is an important determinant of health outcomes. We examined the frequency with which five important communication activities were perceived by cancer survivors and adults without a history of cancer to have been performed by their primary care providers. We analyzed data on more than 5,000 adults drawn from the 2003 Health Information National Trends Survey ( HINTS), a public dataset of the National Cancer Institute. We analyzed the responses to a question that asked how frequently the respondent's primary care provider had performed the following communication activities in the past 12 months: ( 1) listening carefully, ( 2) explaining things, ( 3) showing respect, ( 4) spending enough time, and ( 5) involving the patient in joint decision making. In addition, we compared responses among demographic subgroups. Results showed that regardless of health status or demographic characteristics, the 2003 HINTS respondents reported less than optimal rates of their providers always'' listening carefully, explaining things, showing respect, spending enough time, and involving them in joint decision making. Being Hispanic and having no usual provider or health insurance were associated with a significantly lower frequency of reporting that providers always'' performed the five communication activities (p<. 05).