Research article summary (published 29 Sep 2002):

Multiple realities in a study of medical consultations.

Full Abstract

A study of doctor-patient communication offers convincing arguments for using multiple methods of data collection incorporating both meanings and practices. Multiple realities emerged clearly that would have remained invisible had only one data source been used. Two case studies illustrate how four factors interact to produce different versions of reality:
setting, participants, time, and forms of data recording. The author discusses the apparent markedly different realities of doctors and patients, and the researcher's role in synthesizing these multiple accounts. Only by using multiple methods can attention be paid to the central tensions, the gaps and white spaces, and the discrepancies and misunderstandings that are so important in understanding human interaction. However, this approach is labor- and time-intensive, and requires skilled, experienced researchers.

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Author information

Author/s: Barry, Christine A (CA);

Affiliation: Centre for the Study of Health, Sickness, & Disablement, Brunel University, Uxbridge, United Kingdom.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Case Reports; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Qualitative health research (Qual Health Res), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Oct; vol 12 (issue 8) : pp 1093-111

Dates: Created 2002/10/07; Completed 2002/11/04; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 12365590, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aged Communication Drug Information Services England Evaluation Studies as Topic Female Health Care Surveys - methods Humans Interviews as Topic Male Middle Aged

Middle Aged Office Visits Patient Education as Topic Patient Satisfaction Patient-Centered Care Physician-Patient Relations Physicians, Family - psychology Power (Psychology) Prescriptions, Drug Referral and Consultation Research

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