Physician - Patient Communication

Our lab is very excited to begin data collection on studies investigating the relationship between physician communication and various outcomes for children and their families. We are currently planning several studies in this area with primary care and subspecialty pediatricians. We expect to begin data collection during the Fall, 2016 semester.

• Using transcripts of interactions between mothers and primary care pediatricians during a well-child exam for a 5 year-old child, we are assessing mother's perception and likelihood of following through on treatment recommendations for their child's externalizing behavior problems and for their child's anxiety.
• Using recordings of interactions between sub- specialist pediatricians and parents of children with chronic health conditions, as well as interactions between the pediatrician and adolescent patients, we will record specific aspects of the interaction, and then contact patients/parents after the visit to assess adherence to treatment regimen.
• We are collaborating on a grant from NICHD that will evaluate mothers' perceptions of how pediatricians assess mothers' exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences and their perception of acceptability of the interaction and likelihood to disclose relevant information to their infant's pediatrician.

Treatment adherence

We are in the process of finalizing plans to collect data on the relationship among stress, responsibility for treatment adherence (parent and/or adolescent), and adherence among children with chronic health conditions.

Social Media and Medical Guidance

We are exploring social media groups for information about rate of patient and parent use to obtain information about disease management. We are evaluating the accuracy of posted information and trust in social media and healthcare professionals.