Stephanie De Maesschalck | University of Antwerp (original) (raw)

Papers by Stephanie De Maesschalck

Research paper thumbnail of Teaching communication skills to medical students, a challenge in the curriculum

Patient Education and Counseling, 2005

Introduction: As communication skills become more and more important in medical practice, the new... more Introduction: As communication skills become more and more important in medical practice, the new medical curriculum at Ghent University (1999) implemented a communication curriculum. Method: Communication training or experiences in 'real life' settings are provided every year of the medical curriculum. The training starts with simple basic skills but gradually slips into medical communication or consultation training and results in communication in different contextual situations or with special groups of patients. Rehearsal is important and seen as inevitable. Poorly performing students get extra training.

Research paper thumbnail of Language, culture and emotions: Exploring ethnic minority patients’ emotional expressions in primary healthcare consultations

Patient Education and Counseling, 2011

This study explores ethnic minority patients&... more This study explores ethnic minority patients' expression of emotional cues and concerns in primary healthcare, and examines relationships with patient, provider and consultation attributes. 191 video-recorded consultations were analyzed using the VR-CoDES. Patients were interviewed before the consultation. Generalized Estimating Equations models (GEE) were used to test for associations. Psychosocial versus bio-medically oriented encounters contained significantly more cues (p≤0.05). Patients with poor versus good language proficiency expressed significantly less cues (p≤0.001). No significant correlations were found with patients' cultural values, patients' or physicians' gender or the presence of an interpreter. Female patients express more concerns (p≤0.05), female physicians have a higher number of concerns expressed by patients (p≤0.02). This study shows that independent of physician and diagnosis, patients' language proficiency has a more important impact on the number of cues expressed by the patient than cultural difference. Medical schools and Continuing Medical Education should focus on training programs for recognizing and handling linguistic barriers between physicians and patients. Patient education programs should encourage patients who experience language barriers to open up to physicians. In situations where language is a barrier, physicians and patients should be encouraged to use interpreters to enhance the expression of emotions.

Research paper thumbnail of Socioeconomic status of the patient and doctor–patient communication: does it make a difference

Patient Education and Counseling, 2005

Hall professional health care providers meta-analysis 3 Socio-economic status of the patient and ... more Hall professional health care providers meta-analysis 3 Socio-economic status of the patient and the doctor-patient communication:

Research paper thumbnail of Development and Validation of EMP3: An Instrument to Measure Physician's Attitudes Toward Ethnic Minority Patients

Background and Objectives: The growing diversity of patient populations challenges health care pr... more Background and Objectives: The growing diversity of patient populations challenges health care providers. Physicians' attitudes and perceptions toward cultural diversity in health care could be partly contributing to difficulties in communication between physicians and ethnic minority patients. To evaluate these attitudes and perceptions, an instrument was developed and validated. Methods: A preliminary version of the instrument was developed through literature research and expert consultation and completed by 112 family physicians. Factor analysis was performed and reliability and construct validity tested. Results: The instrument revealed three factors that were interpreted as: (1) physicians' task perception and ideas on cultural differences in health and health care,

Research paper thumbnail of Teaching communication skills to medical students, a challenge in the curriculum

Patient Education and Counseling, 2005

Introduction: As communication skills become more and more important in medical practice, the new... more Introduction: As communication skills become more and more important in medical practice, the new medical curriculum at Ghent University (1999) implemented a communication curriculum. Method: Communication training or experiences in 'real life' settings are provided every year of the medical curriculum. The training starts with simple basic skills but gradually slips into medical communication or consultation training and results in communication in different contextual situations or with special groups of patients. Rehearsal is important and seen as inevitable. Poorly performing students get extra training.

Research paper thumbnail of Language, culture and emotions: Exploring ethnic minority patients’ emotional expressions in primary healthcare consultations

Patient Education and Counseling, 2011

This study explores ethnic minority patients&... more This study explores ethnic minority patients' expression of emotional cues and concerns in primary healthcare, and examines relationships with patient, provider and consultation attributes. 191 video-recorded consultations were analyzed using the VR-CoDES. Patients were interviewed before the consultation. Generalized Estimating Equations models (GEE) were used to test for associations. Psychosocial versus bio-medically oriented encounters contained significantly more cues (p≤0.05). Patients with poor versus good language proficiency expressed significantly less cues (p≤0.001). No significant correlations were found with patients' cultural values, patients' or physicians' gender or the presence of an interpreter. Female patients express more concerns (p≤0.05), female physicians have a higher number of concerns expressed by patients (p≤0.02). This study shows that independent of physician and diagnosis, patients' language proficiency has a more important impact on the number of cues expressed by the patient than cultural difference. Medical schools and Continuing Medical Education should focus on training programs for recognizing and handling linguistic barriers between physicians and patients. Patient education programs should encourage patients who experience language barriers to open up to physicians. In situations where language is a barrier, physicians and patients should be encouraged to use interpreters to enhance the expression of emotions.

Research paper thumbnail of Socioeconomic status of the patient and doctor–patient communication: does it make a difference

Patient Education and Counseling, 2005

Hall professional health care providers meta-analysis 3 Socio-economic status of the patient and ... more Hall professional health care providers meta-analysis 3 Socio-economic status of the patient and the doctor-patient communication:

Research paper thumbnail of Development and Validation of EMP3: An Instrument to Measure Physician's Attitudes Toward Ethnic Minority Patients

Background and Objectives: The growing diversity of patient populations challenges health care pr... more Background and Objectives: The growing diversity of patient populations challenges health care providers. Physicians' attitudes and perceptions toward cultural diversity in health care could be partly contributing to difficulties in communication between physicians and ethnic minority patients. To evaluate these attitudes and perceptions, an instrument was developed and validated. Methods: A preliminary version of the instrument was developed through literature research and expert consultation and completed by 112 family physicians. Factor analysis was performed and reliability and construct validity tested. Results: The instrument revealed three factors that were interpreted as: (1) physicians' task perception and ideas on cultural differences in health and health care,