Patient-centered communication and emotional well-being in the era of medical violence in China

Abstract

Summary The past decade has witnessed an increasing number of patient assaults on doctors in China. Patient-centered communication (PCC) may be one way to mitigate this problem. This study examined the effects of PCC and patient trust on emotional health outcome, especially how patients’ attitude toward medical violence affected this relationship. Data were drawn from the China Governance and Public Policy Survey administered in 2017 with a sample size of 3784. The results showed that PCC had no direct effect on emotional well-being. Instead, patient trust completely mediated this path. Also, patients’ attitude toward medical violence increased the indirect effect of PCC on emotional well-being, suggesting a moderated mediation model. We call for education programs to promote PCC for both providers and patients, mass media campaigns to condemn violence against doctors and stricter law enforcement to stop medical violence.