Taking into account patients' communication preferences: Instrument development and results in chronic back pain patients

Objective: The objective is to develop an instrument that measures the extent of matching between patient communication preferences and physician communication behavior and takes various essential aspects of patient-provider communication into consideration. Furthermore we give a description of communication preferences and matching for chronic back pain patients. Methods: Using an existing questionnaire for assessing patient communication preferences (named KOPRA), a questionnaire on the communication behavior of physicians (KOVA questionnaire) was developed with identical contents. Combining KOPRA and KOVA items results in preference-matching items. N = 703 patients were surveyed. Results: After item selection all scales of the KOVA questionnaire are unidimensional, reliable, and satisfy the requirements of an item response theory model. The preference-matching scales are also unidimensional and reliable (Cronbach's alpha .87-.91). In addition, there is evidence of the validity of both instruments. Matching between communication preferences and behavior is relatively high overall, but there are some areas with clear discrepancies. Conclusion and practice implications: The preference-matching scales allow areas to be identified in which physicians are not very successful in addressing the communication preferences of patients. With back pain patients, physicians should take particular consideration of the very great need for open communication and information about further treatment. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.