The Role of Physicians' First Impressions in the Diagnosis of Possible Cancers without Alarm Symptoms.

ABSTRACT:

Background

First impressions are thought to exert a disproportionate influence on subsequent judgments; however, their role in medical diagnosis has not been systematically studied. We aimed to elicit and measure the association between first impressions and subsequent diagnoses in common presentations with subtle indications of cancer.

Methods

Ninety UK family physicians conducted interactive simulated consultations online, while on the phone with a researcher. They saw 6 patient cases, 3 of which could be cancers. Each cancer case included 2 consultations, whereby each patient consulted again with nonimproving and some new symptoms. After reading an introduction (patient description and presenting problem), physicians could request more information, which the researcher di

SUBMITTER: Kostopoulou O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5131625 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature