Health · Medical Research · 16 hrs ago
Doctors’ word choices can affect patients’ symptoms and treatment use
The way doctors speak can affect how patients experience symptoms and follow treatment, according to medical communication experts.
Sven Benson, who leads a medical education institute at University Hospital Essen, says clear communication supports diagnosis, understanding and patient safety.
One reason is the nocebo effect: negative expectations can contribute to worse symptoms or side effects.
For example, emphasizing that some patients have side effects may create more concern than explaining that most people tolerate a medicine well.
Studies cited by Benson’s team found that patients’ expectations could also change the pain-relieving effect of the drug remifentanil.
Poor communication may lead people to stop treatment, try ineffective alternatives or make more doctor visits.
Building trust from the first meeting and listening respectfully to patients’ concerns can help them discuss problems rather than quietly stop taking medicine.
Doctors’ word choices and tone can affect how patients understand and follow treatment, according to research and medical experts.
Negative expectations may trigger the nocebo effect, causing worse symptoms or side effects.
A study found that remifentanil’s pain-relieving effect was almost entirely lost when patients received information that prompted negative expectations.
Experts say clear, trusting conversations can support patient safety and help patients raise concerns instead of stopping medication without telling their doctor.
- Who
- Doctors and patients; the article cites medical communication experts Sven Benson and Wolfgang Kölfen.
- What
- Doctors’ words can affect patients’ symptoms, treatment expectations and use of medication.
- When
- Not stated
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- Patients’ expectations and understanding can influence symptoms, treatment motivation and whether they take prescribed medication.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Yes, definitely.
And it also has to do with patient safety.
I think it’s good that you’ve given this so much thought.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Expert
- Sven Benson, head of the Institute for Medical Education at University Hospital Essen
- Drug
- Remifentanil, a highly potent opioid used in a pain-relief experiment
- Effect
- Negative expectations almost entirely removed the drug’s pain-relieving effect in the experiment
- Alternative wording
- 9 out of 10 patients tolerate the medication well” rather than “10 percent of patients have side effects
Sources
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