What makes a challenging consult: a cross-sectional study of 1053 dermatology patients in Singapore

• Main Authors: Choi, Ellie, Chan, Yiong Huak, Yew, Yik Weng, Oon, Hazel H., Thng, Steven, Tan, Chris, Long, Valencia, Phan, Phillip, Chandran, Nisha Suyien
• Other Authors: Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2024
• Subjects: Medicine, Health and Life Sciences; Difficult patient; Eczema
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/173652
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

A good physician-patient relationship leads to improved health outcomes. This relationship has been studied primarily through patients’ perspectives, and physicians’ sentiments toward patients are frequently overlooked. Forty-four physicians and 1053 unique adult patients were recruited through convenience sampling from 3 dermatologic centers in Singapore between October 2021 and September 2022. For each patient, physicians completed the Difficult Doctor-Patient Relationship Questionnaire (DDPRQ-10), which was used to assess their frustration, enthusiasm, and ease of interaction with the patient. Each patient also independently completed a separate questionnaire.