Department of English, Floria International University, Miami, FL, USA.
Department of Oncology, Wayne State University/Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, USA.
Patient Educ Couns. 2022 Dec;105(12):3453-3458. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2022.09.002. Epub 2022 Sep 5.
This study described physicians' use of plain language during patient-physician cancer clinical trial discussions.
Video-recorded clinical interactions and accompanying transcripts were taken from a larger study of communication and clinical trials (PACCT). Interactions (n = 25) were selected if they included invitations to participate in a clinical trial. We used descriptive, qualitative discourse analysis, a method that identifies language patterns at or above the sentence level. We first excerpted discussions of clinical trials, then identified instances of plain language within those discussions. Finally, we inductively coded those instances to describe physicians' plain language practices.
The analysis identified four plain language practices. Lexical simplification replaced medical terminology with simpler words. Patient-centered definition named, categorized, and explained complex medical terminology. Metaphor explained medical terminology by comparing it with known concepts. Finally, experience-focused description replaced medical terminology with descriptions of patients' potential physical experiences.
These plain language practices hold promise as part of effective information exchange in discussions of cancer clinical trials. Testing is needed to identify patient preferences and the extent to which these practices address patient health literacy needs.
Pending further testing, these plain language practices may be integrated into physician clinical trial and other communication training.
本研究描述了医生在医患癌症临床试验讨论中使用平实语言的情况。
从一项更大的关于沟通和临床试验的研究（PACCT）中选取了视频记录的临床互动和相应的文字记录。如果互动（n=25）包括邀请参与临床试验，则选择这些互动。我们使用描述性的定性话语分析方法，该方法可以识别句子以上级别的语言模式。我们首先摘录了临床试验的讨论内容，然后在这些讨论中识别平实语言的实例。最后，我们对这些实例进行归纳编码，以描述医生的平实语言实践。
分析确定了四种平实语言实践。词汇简化用简单的词语替代医学术语。以患者为中心的定义命名、分类并解释复杂的医学术语。隐喻通过将医学术语与已知概念进行比较来解释医学术语。最后，以经验为中心的描述用患者潜在的身体体验来替代医学术语。
这些平实语言实践有望成为癌症临床试验讨论中有效信息交流的一部分。需要进行测试以确定患者的偏好以及这些实践在多大程度上满足患者的健康素养需求。
在进一步测试之前，这些平实语言实践可以整合到医生的临床试验和其他沟通培训中。
