Biomaterial Database

Psychosocial problems in chronically ill children: physician concern, parent satisfaction, and the validity of medical records. 1982

R R Lau, and H S Williams, and L C Williams, and J E Ware, and R H Brook

This study concerns the psychosocial aspects of treatment for chronically ill children. The English-speaking parents of 44 children 5-13 years of age being seen at five specialty clinics at a large county hospital in Los Angeles, and their attending physicians, were the subjects in this study. The parents were interviewed concerning their expectations for the current visit, and the doctor-patient interaction was tape-recorded. Identical categories of information were abstracted from the tape recording and from a chart review of the patients' medical records. Although parents expected 76% of the psychosocial aspects of care to be covered by the doctor, only one fourth were actually discussed in the visit. These unfulfilled expectations were associated with lower satisfaction with medical care received (r = .47, p less than 0.01). Finally, while doctors recorded about 80% of discussions of symptoms and physical examinations in the patient's medical record, they recorded only 25% of discussion of psychosocial problems.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008499	Medical Records	Recording of pertinent information concerning patient's illness or illnesses.	Health Diaries,Medical Transcription,Records, Medical,Transcription, Medical,Diaries, Health,Diary, Health,Health Diary,Medical Record,Medical Transcriptions,Record, Medical,Transcriptions, Medical
D010044	Outpatient Clinics, Hospital	Organized services in a hospital which provide medical care on an outpatient basis.	Ambulatory Care Facilities, Hospital,Hospital Outpatient Clinics,Clinic, Hospital Outpatient,Clinics, Hospital Outpatient,Hospital Outpatient Clinic,Outpatient Clinic, Hospital
D010290	Parents	Persons functioning as natural, adoptive, or substitute parents. The heading includes the concept of parenthood as well as preparation for becoming a parent.	Step-Parents,Parental Age,Parenthood Status,Stepparent,Age, Parental,Ages, Parental,Parent,Parental Ages,Status, Parenthood,Step Parents,Step-Parent,Stepparents
D010817	Physician-Patient Relations	The interactions between physician and patient.	Doctor-Patient Relations,Doctor Patient Relations,Physician Patient Relations,Physician Patient Relationship,Doctor Patient Relation,Doctor-Patient Relation,Physician Patient Relation,Physician Patient Relationships,Physician-Patient Relation,Relation, Doctor Patient,Relation, Doctor-Patient,Relation, Physician Patient,Relation, Physician-Patient,Relations, Doctor Patient,Relations, Doctor-Patient,Relations, Physician Patient,Relations, Physician-Patient,Relationship, Physician Patient,Relationships, Physician Patient
D010819	Physician's Role	The expected function of a member of the medical profession.	Physicians' Role,Physician Role,Physician's Roles,Physicians Role,Physicians' Roles,Role, Physician's,Role, Physicians',Roles, Physician's,Roles, Physicians'
D002140	California	State bounded on the east by Nevada and Arizona, on the south by Mexico and the Pacific Ocean on the south and west, and on the north by Oregon.
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002662	Child Health Services	Organized services to provide health care for children.	Infant Health Services,Child Services, Health,Health Services, Child,Health Services, Infant,Infant Services, Health,Services, Child Health,Services, Infant Health,Child Health Service,Health Service, Child,Health Service, Infant,Infant Health Service,Service, Child Health,Service, Infant Health
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children