Placebo prescription and empathy of the physician: A cross-sectional study
Background: Empathy in the patient–physician relationship is a major component in an effective placebo treatment, as in every medical treatment. Understanding the role of empathy of the physician in the placebo effect may help dissect some of the context variables responsible for the effectiveness o...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2017-10-01
|
Series: | European Journal of General Practice |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2017.1291625 |
id |
doaj-2a0352842a7747b1871e01f5d84e6984 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-2a0352842a7747b1871e01f5d84e69842020-11-25T00:45:22ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of General Practice1381-47881751-14022017-10-012319810410.1080/13814788.2017.12916251291625Placebo prescription and empathy of the physician: A cross-sectional studyJoão Braga-Simões0Patrício Soares Costa1John Yaphe2University of MinhoUniversity of MinhoUniversity of MinhoBackground: Empathy in the patient–physician relationship is a major component in an effective placebo treatment, as in every medical treatment. Understanding the role of empathy of the physician in the placebo effect may help dissect some of the context variables responsible for the effectiveness of the placebo. Objectives: To determine the frequency of placebo prescription, doctors’ beliefs, motivation, and attitudes to placebos in general practice in northern Portugal and to test the association between placebo prescription and physician empathy. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2014 and January 2015 among general practice specialists and interns from 14 health centres in a northern Portuguese health region. The self-report questionnaire included the Portuguese version of the Jefferson scale of physician empathy (JSPE) and a questionnaire about placebo prescription. Associations between demographic variables, JSPE score, prescription of placebo, and the attitudes to placebo score were tested with the chi-squared statistic, student t-tests for independent samples, and Pearson correlation. Results: The study included 93 general practitioners (GP) (response rate: 74%). Placebos were prescribed by 73% (n = 68) of the respondents. GPs who prescribe placebo are significantly younger (mean age = 38.4 years; SD = 11.1; t (90) = 2.98, P <.05, d = 0.67) than non-prescribers (mean age =46.5 years; SD =13.3). Favourable attitudes towards placebo prescription are associated with higher empathy scores (R = 0.310, P <.01). Conclusion: Placebo prescription is frequent and associated with empathy from the prescriber, especially among younger GPs.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2017.1291625Placebo prescriptionphysician empathygeneral practice |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
João Braga-Simões Patrício Soares Costa John Yaphe |
spellingShingle |
João Braga-Simões Patrício Soares Costa John Yaphe Placebo prescription and empathy of the physician: A cross-sectional study European Journal of General Practice Placebo prescription physician empathy general practice |
author_facet |
João Braga-Simões Patrício Soares Costa John Yaphe |
author_sort |
João Braga-Simões |
title |
Placebo prescription and empathy of the physician: A cross-sectional study |
title_short |
Placebo prescription and empathy of the physician: A cross-sectional study |
title_full |
Placebo prescription and empathy of the physician: A cross-sectional study |
title_fullStr |
Placebo prescription and empathy of the physician: A cross-sectional study |
title_full_unstemmed |
Placebo prescription and empathy of the physician: A cross-sectional study |
title_sort |
placebo prescription and empathy of the physician: a cross-sectional study |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
series |
European Journal of General Practice |
issn |
1381-4788 1751-1402 |
publishDate |
2017-10-01 |
description |
Background: Empathy in the patient–physician relationship is a major component in an effective placebo treatment, as in every medical treatment. Understanding the role of empathy of the physician in the placebo effect may help dissect some of the context variables responsible for the effectiveness of the placebo. Objectives: To determine the frequency of placebo prescription, doctors’ beliefs, motivation, and attitudes to placebos in general practice in northern Portugal and to test the association between placebo prescription and physician empathy. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2014 and January 2015 among general practice specialists and interns from 14 health centres in a northern Portuguese health region. The self-report questionnaire included the Portuguese version of the Jefferson scale of physician empathy (JSPE) and a questionnaire about placebo prescription. Associations between demographic variables, JSPE score, prescription of placebo, and the attitudes to placebo score were tested with the chi-squared statistic, student t-tests for independent samples, and Pearson correlation. Results: The study included 93 general practitioners (GP) (response rate: 74%). Placebos were prescribed by 73% (n = 68) of the respondents. GPs who prescribe placebo are significantly younger (mean age = 38.4 years; SD = 11.1; t (90) = 2.98, P <.05, d = 0.67) than non-prescribers (mean age =46.5 years; SD =13.3). Favourable attitudes towards placebo prescription are associated with higher empathy scores (R = 0.310, P <.01). Conclusion: Placebo prescription is frequent and associated with empathy from the prescriber, especially among younger GPs. |
topic |
Placebo prescription physician empathy general practice |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2017.1291625 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT joaobragasimoes placeboprescriptionandempathyofthephysicianacrosssectionalstudy AT patriciosoarescosta placeboprescriptionandempathyofthephysicianacrosssectionalstudy AT johnyaphe placeboprescriptionandempathyofthephysicianacrosssectionalstudy |
_version_ |
1725270526631346176 |