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. 2011 May;15(4):832-41.
doi: 10.1007/s10461-010-9779-8.

Substance use and the quality of patient-provider communication in HIV clinics

P Todd Korthuis  1 , Somnath Saha, Geetanjali Chander, Dennis McCarty, Richard D Moore, Jonathan A Cohn, Victoria L Sharp, Mary Catherine Beach
Affiliations

Substance use and the quality of patient-provider communication in HIV clinics

P Todd Korthuis et al. AIDS Behav. 2011 May.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to estimate the influence of substance use on the quality of patient-provider communication during HIV clinic encounters. Patients were surveyed about unhealthy alcohol and illicit drug use and rated provider communication quality. Audio-recorded encounters were coded for specific communication behaviors. Patients with vs. without unhealthy alcohol use rated the quality of their provider's communication lower; illicit drug user ratings were comparable to non-users. Visit length was shorter, with fewer activating/engaging and psychosocial counseling statements for those with vs. without unhealthy alcohol use. Providers and patients exhibited favorable communication behaviors in encounters with illicit drug users vs. non-users, demonstrating greater evidence of patient-provider engagement. The quality of patient-provider communication was worse for HIV-infected patients with unhealthy alcohol use but similar or better for illicit drug users compared with non-users. Interventions should be developed that encourage providers to actively engage patients with unhealthy alcohol use.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Interaction between unhealthy alcohol use and depression (Wald Χ2 (df = 4) = 13.9, P = 0.008 for overall interaction term)
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