New York - Doctors often try to reassure patients with
chronic illnesses by telling them that their disease is
mild, or was caught early. But such well-meaning
information can backfire, British researcher suggest,
because patients may feel that their struggle to fight
their illness is not being taken seriously.

The solution, these investigators believe, is for
physicians to acknowledge patients' pain and
difficulties.

To study the effects of reassurance, Dr. Jenny L.
Donovan, of the University of Bristol, and Dr. David R.
Blake, of the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic
Diseases in Bath, UK, interviewed 35 patients attending
rheumatology clinics, before and after their
consultations with specialists about the diseases
affecting their joints.

The results showed that reassurance was an important part
of consultations, the researchers note in the February
26th issue of the British Medical Journal. However,
patients sometimes interpreted words of reassurance
differently. Where doctors emphasized the mildness or
early stage of the condition, some patients were not
comforted by these remarks because ''of their perception
that symptoms already affected everyday life and because
of the implications of future pain and disability.''

''Clinicians and patients have different perspectives on
a patient's condition. That's the most crucial thing,''
Donovan explained in an interview with Reuters Health.
''Patients... tend to see their conditions in terms of
their previous experience. So they will often come in
with symptoms they believe to be severe and that have an
impact on their everyday life. The clinician, in his mind
set, will consider their symptoms to be quite mild.''
''This is where that mismatch of reassurance can occur,''
she added.

The researchers suggest that doctors avoid 'loaded' words
such as ''mild'' or ''early stages'' when talking with
patients, and take care to acknowledge the difficulties
that patients are experiencing due to their symptoms.
''What patients do want is a doctor who accepts the
seriousness of their condition,'' said Donovan. ''So if a
patient says, 'I've got pain and stiffness in my joints,'
they want their physicians to say, 'Yes, I see you've got
pain and stiffness in your joints. That must be
difficult. This is what we can do for you.'''

Source - British Medical Journal 2000;320:541-544.

Tuesday, February 29, 2000
Click on the Indian Express at News Plus:
http://www.***.com/

Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the
educational purposes of research and open discussion.

<A HREF=" http://www.***.com/ ;><B>Jai's News Plus</B></A>

Panchaang for 24 Maagh 5100, Monday, February 28, 2000:

Pramathin Nama Samvatsare 5101 Uttarayane Moksha Ritau
     Kumbha Mase Krishna Pakshe Indu Vasara Yuktayam
Moola Nakshatra Vajra-Siddhi Yoga
     Gara-Vanija Karana Navamee-Dashamee Yam Tithau

Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.***.com/

Information about Hindu life, principles, and philosophy:
http://www.***.com/
http://www.***.com/

Information about Islam:
http://www.***.com/ ~jai/satyamevajayate

PayPal is a free service that lets you 'beam' money
https://secure.paypal.com/refer/pal=mantra%40mantra.com