Patient-provider communication styles in HIV treatment programs in Bamako, Mali: A mixed-methods study to define dimensions and measure patient preferences.

ABSTRACT: Effective patient-provider communication (PPC) promotes patient adherence and retention in long-term care. Sub-Saharan Africa faces unprecedented demand for chronic care for HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART), yet adherence and retention remain challenging. In high-income countries, research describing patient preferences for different PPC styles has guided interventions to improve PPC and patient outcomes. However, research on PPC preferences in sub-Saharan Africa is limited. We sought to define PPC dimensions relevant to ART programs in Bamako, Mali through recordings of clinical interactions, in-depth interviews and focus-group discussions with 69 patients and 17 providers. Qualitative analysis revealed two PPC dimensions similar to those described in the literature on patient

SUBMITTER: Hurley EA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5734639 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature