Physician-Patient Interaction

Patients preferred doctors who honestly admitted uncertainty about post-COVID over those who offered false certainty. Primary care patient-provider interactions are linked with better behaviours, outcomes, and medication adherence. Communication quality was a strong determinant of how patients perceived the care they received. The intervention is grounded in the Interaction Model of Client Health Behaviour. The intervention content was designed around physician-patient interaction dimensions and patient dynamic characteristics identified by modelling. Failure to explain medication side effects or prescribing rationale negatively affected patient compliance. Misunderstandings between doctors and patients were common and sometimes resulted in patients feeling stigmatised. Some patients discontinued medication before it could take effect because side effects appeared first and the expected timeline had not been communicated. Transparent communication about antidepressant prescriptions is particularly important for post-COVID patients, who may otherwise interpret the prescription as psychologisation. Resource constraints in rural settings make stronger physician-patient interaction di…