@article{1c54965bce704eb2bf6c727d4d5f20e7,
title = "Patients' question-asking behavior during primary care visits: A report from the AAFP national research network",
abstract = "Purpose: The Ask Me 3 (AM3) health communication program encourages patients to ask specific questions during office visits with the intention of improving understanding of their health conditions and adherence to treatment recommendations. This study evaluated whether implementing AM3 improves patients' question-asking behavior and increases adherence to prescription medications and lifestyle recommendations. Methods: This randomized trial involved 20 practices from the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network that were assigned to an AM3 intervention group or a control group. Forty-one physicians in the practices were each asked to enroll at least 20 patients. The patients' visits were audio recorded, and recordings were reviewed to determine whether patients asked questions and which questions they asked. Patients were interviewed 1 to 3 weeks after the visit to assess their recall of physicians' recommendations, rates of prescription filling and taking, and attempts at complying with lifestyle recommendations. Results: The study enrolled 834 eligible patients in 20 practices. There were no significant difference between the AM3 and control patients in the rate of asking questions, but this rate was high (92%) in both groups. There also were no differences in rates of either filling or taking prescriptions, although rates of these outcomes were fairly high, too. Control patients were more likely to recall that their physician recommended a lifestyle change, however (68% vs 59%, P=.04). Conclusions: In a patient population in which asking questions already occurs at a high rate and levels of adherence are fairly high, we found no evidence that the AM3 intervention results in patients asking specific questions or more questions in general, or in better adherence to prescription medications or lifestyle recommendations.",
keywords = "Health literacy, Multi-methods research, Patient education, Patient-clinician communications, Practice-based research, Primary care",
author = "Galliher, {James M.} and Post, {Douglas M.} and Weiss, {Barry D.} and {Miriam Dickinson}, L. and Manning, {Brian K.} and Staton, {Elizabeth W.} and Brown, {Judith Belle} and Hickner, {John M.} and Bonham, {Aaron J.} and Ryan, {Bridget L.} and Pace, {Wilson D.}",
note = "Funding Information: This research was funded by an unrestricted grant from Pfizer, Inc to the AAFP NRN via the AAFP Foundation. The funder played no role in the design or conduct of the study, or interpretation or analysis of the data. The study data are owned and controlled by the AAFP NRN. The authors acknowledge the collaboration of the medical practices, study physicians, and practice study coordinators who executed the research protocol at their locations. We thank the following clinicians for their contributions: Alber Abrahim, MD; Olga Arias-Field; Chandra Batra, MD; Allison Braud; John Bucek, MD; Donna Bush; Sharon Buskin, LPN; Cindy Carlson, RN; Penny Carter; Georgina Chan-Perdomo, MD; Elizabeth Corona; Clint Curtis, MD; Nancy Deleon; Dan Doyle, MD; Andrew Eisenberg, MD; Emil Faris, MD; John Farmer, DO; Troy Fiesinger, MD; Patricia Glowa, MD; Tom Golemon, MD; Stephanie Hardy; Michael Hartsell, MD; Tanya Hauf, RN; Meg Hayes, MD; Cindy Hendrickson, RN; Amanda Hillebrand; Jackie Hodgson, RN; Debbie Johnson; Raj Kachoria, MD, PC; Nina Katovic; Lou Kazal, MD; Scott Knutson, MD; Donald Kollisch, MD; Charles Korte, MD; Kim Krohn, MD, MPH; Carol Kuhle, DO; Stacey Langley; Joel Lazar, MD; John MacMaster, DO; Frances Mallet, RN, MSN; Evelyn Mazariegos; Elaine Meier; Connie Mitchell; Samantha Moore, LPN; Marion Mueller, RN; Eden Murad, MD; Denise Nichols, PharmD; Bernard O'Brien, PAC; Shirley Ocloo, MD; Alex Perdomo, MD; Heather Pierce, MD; Robert Pieroni, MD; Dorothy Pieroni; Marina Raikhel, MD; Michael Reis, MD; Eugene Reynolds, MD; Carol Rodgers, RN; Chris Seidler, RN; Yogesh Shah, MD; Amit Shah, MD; Lisa Soldat, MD; Elisabeth Spector, MD, MPH; James Stevermer, MD, MSPH; Linda Stewart, MD; Rick Sone, MD, MPH; Gregg Stoner, MD; Steven Stripe, MD; Feliks Syniak, PhD; Vilmary Vazquez, NCMA; Christy Ward, LPN; Chris White, MD; Marilyn Wissmiller, RN; Sonja Woods, MD; and Frances Wu, MD.",
year = "2010",
doi = "10.1370/afm.1055",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "8",
pages = "151--159",
journal = "Annals of Family Medicine",
issn = "1544-1709",
publisher = "Annals of Family Medicine, Inc",
number = "2",
}