Can You Hear Me Now? Effects of Patient-Centered Communication With Young Adults Aged 26 to 39

Abstract

Patient-centered communication (PCC) is critical to the delivery of quality health care services. Although numerous health outcomes have been connected to patient–provider communication, there is limited research that has explored the processes and pathways between communication and health. Research among young adults (ages 26-39 years) is even more scarce, despite findings that health communication does vary with age. This cross-sectional study used data from the 2014 Health Interview National Trends Survey to explore the relationship between PCC, patient trust, patient satisfaction, social support, self-care skills, and emotional well-being among young adults aged 26 to 39 years. Our results showed that income, history of depression diagnosis, PCC, patient trust, social support, and patient self-efficacy (self-care skills) were all significantly related to emotional well-being. These findings suggest the need to explore the means through which communication can impact emotional well-being, specifically among young adults who are in poor health or have a history of depression. Future research should also include longitudinal studies, in order to determine causality and directionality among constructs.