Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To develop a taxonomy of explanations for patients with persistent physical symptoms.
METHODS: We analysed doctors' explanations from two studies of a moderately-intensive consultation intervention for patients with multiple, often "medically-unexplained," physical symptoms. We used a constant comparative method to develop a taxonomy which was then applied to all verbatim explanations.
RESULTS: We analysed 138 explanations provided by five general practitioners to 38 patients. The taxonomy comprised explanation types and explanation components. Three explanation types described the overall structure of the explanations: Rational Adaptive, Automatic Adaptive, and Complex. These differed in terms of who or what was given agency within the explanation. Three explanation components described the content of the explanation: Facts - generic statements about normal or dysfunctional processes; Causes - person-specific statements about proximal or distal causes for symptoms; Mechanisms - processes by which symptoms arise or persist in the individual. Most explanations conformed to one type and contained several components.
CONCLUSIONS: This novel taxonomy for classifying clinical explanations permits detailed classification of explanation types and content. Explanation types appear to carry different implications of agency.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The taxonomy is suitable for examining explanations and developing prototype explanatory scripts in both training and research settings.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 224-230 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Patient Education and Counseling |
| Volume | 100 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 17 Aug 2016 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2017 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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A taxonomy of explanations in a general practitioner clinic for patients with persistent "medically unexplained" physical symptoms. / Morton, LaKrista; Elliott, Alison; Cleland, Jennifer; Deary, Vincent; Burton, Christopher.
In: Patient Education and Counseling, Vol. 100, No. 2, 02.2017, p. 224-230.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - A taxonomy of explanations in a general practitioner clinic for patients with persistent "medically unexplained" physical symptoms
AU - Morton, LaKrista
AU - Elliott, Alison
AU - Cleland, Jennifer
AU - Deary, Vincent
AU - Burton, Christopher
N1 - Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2017/2
Y1 - 2017/2
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To develop a taxonomy of explanations for patients with persistent physical symptoms.METHODS: We analysed doctors' explanations from two studies of a moderately-intensive consultation intervention for patients with multiple, often "medically-unexplained," physical symptoms. We used a constant comparative method to develop a taxonomy which was then applied to all verbatim explanations.RESULTS: We analysed 138 explanations provided by five general practitioners to 38 patients. The taxonomy comprised explanation types and explanation components. Three explanation types described the overall structure of the explanations: Rational Adaptive, Automatic Adaptive, and Complex. These differed in terms of who or what was given agency within the explanation. Three explanation components described the content of the explanation: Facts - generic statements about normal or dysfunctional processes; Causes - person-specific statements about proximal or distal causes for symptoms; Mechanisms - processes by which symptoms arise or persist in the individual. Most explanations conformed to one type and contained several components.CONCLUSIONS: This novel taxonomy for classifying clinical explanations permits detailed classification of explanation types and content. Explanation types appear to carry different implications of agency.PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The taxonomy is suitable for examining explanations and developing prototype explanatory scripts in both training and research settings.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To develop a taxonomy of explanations for patients with persistent physical symptoms.METHODS: We analysed doctors' explanations from two studies of a moderately-intensive consultation intervention for patients with multiple, often "medically-unexplained," physical symptoms. We used a constant comparative method to develop a taxonomy which was then applied to all verbatim explanations.RESULTS: We analysed 138 explanations provided by five general practitioners to 38 patients. The taxonomy comprised explanation types and explanation components. Three explanation types described the overall structure of the explanations: Rational Adaptive, Automatic Adaptive, and Complex. These differed in terms of who or what was given agency within the explanation. Three explanation components described the content of the explanation: Facts - generic statements about normal or dysfunctional processes; Causes - person-specific statements about proximal or distal causes for symptoms; Mechanisms - processes by which symptoms arise or persist in the individual. Most explanations conformed to one type and contained several components.CONCLUSIONS: This novel taxonomy for classifying clinical explanations permits detailed classification of explanation types and content. Explanation types appear to carry different implications of agency.PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The taxonomy is suitable for examining explanations and developing prototype explanatory scripts in both training and research settings.
U2 - 10.1016/j.pec.2016.08.015
DO - 10.1016/j.pec.2016.08.015
M3 - Article
C2 - 27569909
VL - 100
SP - 224
EP - 230
JO - Patient Education and Counseling
JF - Patient Education and Counseling
SN - 0738-3991
IS - 2
ER -