Table 4

Self-Rated Adequacy of Previous Training in Handling Specific Physician-Patient Communication Scenarios According to Perceived Benefit of Training

Self-rated adequacy of previous training* according to perceived benefit of training

Scenario

Yes (N = 33)

Maybe or no (N = 25)

P value^†

Demanding patient

4.4 ± 2.4

6.2 ± 2.4

.006

Overweight patient

4.2 ± 2.2

5.6 ± 2.2

.028

Cancer patient

5.7 ± 2.5

6.7 ± 2.2

.078

Hostile spouse

3.7 ± 2.4

5.5 ± 2.1

.002

Somatoform patient

4.2 ± 2.4

6.1 ± 2.3

.004

Chronic pain patient

4.0 ± 2.3

5.8 ± 2.4

.007

Waiting patient

4.7 ± 2.6

6.1 ± 2.7

.002

Patient of different culture

4.2 ± 2.1

6.2 ± 2.3

.067

*Ten-point Likert scale (1 = inadequate, 10 = excellent).

^†Wilcoxon rank sum test.

Mueller et al. BMC Medical Education 2006 6:30   doi:10.1186/1472-6920-6-30