Abstract

Healthcare outcomes may be adversely affected by patients' fear and anxiety associated with communication with health care providers. The present study investigated whether patient advocates can affect levels of fear and anxiety in hospitalized patients as measured by the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension scale (PRCA-24), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Child Surgery Worries questionnaire (CSW). Decreases were found on all three scales subsequent to patient interaction with a patient advocate. Implications and future research are discussed.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Patient advocacy--Evaluation; Cancer--Patients--Services for--Research; Anxiety--Testing

Publication Date

2-24-2006

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Communication and Media Technologies (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Department of Communication (CLA)

Advisor

Rudy Pugliese

Advisor/Committee Member

Nicole Trabold

Advisor/Committee Member

Bruce Austin

Comments

Physical copy available from RIT's Wallace Library at R727.45 .V49 2006

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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