Many people with rheumatoid arthritis are uncomfortable asking their doctors questions

Medical office – middle-aged male doctor greeting patient, shaking hands.

A global survey of over 3,600 adults with rheumatoid arthritis across 13 countries found that many people with rheumatoid arthritis are uncomfortable asking questions of their physicians.
Those who felt comfortable raising concerns with their doctor were more likely to define their health status as “good” or “excellent” than people who were uncomfortable (43% vs 29%).
Although 78% of people who received prescription medication for rheumatoid arthritis were satisfied with their treatment, only 30% of them characterised their symptoms as “under control”, particularly those with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis.
In the US, about 20% of people worry that if they ask too many questions, it may negatively impact their care.
Dr Allan Gibofsky was involved in the work and explained that doctors can learn to facilitate communication and improve the quality of interactions with patients using simple techniques, such as making eye contact more often and taking time to listen. The layout of the consultation room should not interfere with the ability to make eye contact, and similar considerations can help people feel more comfortable.
“More and more we are seeing the ergonomics of record-keeping interfere with the encounter with the patient,” he explains. “Focus on the patient, not the chart. As physicians, we may put in the charts that a patient is ‘doing well’ because they aren’t having an adverse event with a medication. To the patient, ‘doing well’ might mean, ‘Can I cook for my family?’ or ‘Can I clean for myself?’ These disparities need to be addressed.
“The take-home message is this: the role of the physician is to cure a few, help most, but comfort all. We won’t be as successful with [providing] comfort if we’re not communicating with our patients.”

Subscribe to Arthritis Digest, the UK’s fastest growing arthritis magazine for all the latest arthritis news, reviews and celebrity interviews. You’ll know what your doctor is talking about, what new drugs are in the pipeline and be up to date on helpful products. Hard copy and digital versions both available. Click here for more information.

Image credit: Vic