Surgeon use of medical jargon with parents in the outpatient setting.
PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING 2019;
102:1111-1118. [PMID:
30744965 PMCID:
PMC6525640 DOI:
10.1016/j.pec.2019.02.002]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Unexplained medical terminology impedes clinician/parent communication. We describe jargon use in a pediatric surgical setting.
METHODS
We evaluated encounters between parents of children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB; n = 64) and otolaryngologists (n = 8). Participants completed questionnaires evaluating demographics, clinical features, and parental role in decision-making via a 4-point categorical item. Two coders reviewed consultations for occurrence of clinician and parent utterance of medical jargon. Descriptive statistics established a profile of jargon use, and logistic regression evaluated associations between communication factors with jargon use.
RESULTS
Unexplained medical jargon was common (mean total utterances per visit = 28.9,SD = 19.5,Range = 5-100), including SDB-specific jargon (M = 8.3,SD = 8.8), other medical terminology (M = 13.9,SD = 12) and contextual terms (M = 3.8,SD = 4). Parents used jargon a mean of 4.3 times (SD = 4.6). Clinicians used more jargon in consults where they perceived parents as having greater involvement in decision-making (OR = 3.4,p < 0.05) and when parents used more jargon (OR = 1.2,p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Jargon use in pediatric surgical consultations is common and could serve as a barrier to informed or shared parent decision-making. This study provides a foundation for further research into patterns of jargon use across surgical populations.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
Results will be integrated into communication training to enhance clinician communication, foster self-awareness in language use, and create strategies to evaluate parental understanding.
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