The influence of medical testing on patients’ health: an overview from the gynecologists’ perspective

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

Research Article

Brent C Opmeer¹  Marcel GW Dijkgraaf¹  Patrick MM Bossuyt²  Myra CB van Zwieten³  Ben Willem J Mol⁴  Jolande Y Vis⁵  Karel GM Moons⁶  Kirsten J McCaffery⁷ 

[1] Clinical Research Unit, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;Department of General Practice, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands;Screening and Test Evaluation Program, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia;

关键词: Test evaluation;    Patient outcomes;    Diagnostic test;    Methodology;    Qualitative research;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1472-6947-13-117

 received in 2012-09-14, accepted in 2013-09-12,  发布年份 2013

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundA medical tests may influence the health of patients by guiding clinical decisions, such as treatment in case of a positive test result. However, a medical test can influence the health of patients through other mechanisms as well, like giving reassurance. To make a clinical recommendation about a medical test, we should be aware of the full range of effects of that test on patients. This requires an understanding of the range of effects that medical testing can have on patients. This study evaluates the mechanisms through which medical testing can influence patients’ health, other than the effect on clinical management, from a gynecologist’s perspective.MethodsA qualitative study in which explorative focus groups were conducted with gynecologists, gynecological residents and gynecological M.D. researchers (n = 43). Discussions were transcribed verbatim. Transcriptions were coded inductively and analyzed by three researchers.ResultsAll participants contributed various clinical examples in which medical testing had influenced patients’ health. Clinical examples illustrated that testing, in itself or in interaction with contextual factors, may provoke a wide range of effects on patients. Our data showed that testing can influence the doctor’s perceptions of the patients’ appraisal of their illness, their perceived control, or the doctor-patient relationship. This may lead to changes in psychological, behavioral, and/or medical outcomes, both favorably or unfavorably. The data were used to construct a conceptual framework of effects of medical testing on patients.ConclusionsBesides supporting clinical decision making, medical testing may have favorable or unfavorable effects on patients’ health though several mechanisms.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Vis et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2013