The relative importance of physician communication, participatory decision making, and patient understanding in diabetes self‐management (April 2002)

Summary

Patients' self‐management practices have substantial consequences on morbidity and mortality in diabetes. While the quality of patient‐physician relations has been associated with improved health outcomes and functional status, little is known about the impact of different patient‐physician interaction styles on patients' diabetes self‐management. This study, published by the US Journal of General Internal Medicine, assessed the influence of patients' evaluation of their physicians' participatory decision‐making style, rating of physician communication, and reported understanding of diabetes self‐care on their self‐reported diabetes management.