April 7-9, 2022 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being
Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being
Abstract: What is Optometry Communication Competence? Being Prosocial and Providing Informative Explanations
What is optometry communication competence? Being prosocial and providing informative explanations Communication competence remains a valued focus for research between patients and general practitioners, but there is far less research examining the communication competencies of eye care professionals (cf. Sleath et al., 2015). The aim of this research is to test a conception of optometric communication competence (OCC), which uses a multiple goals model of interaction competence (Clark & Delia, 1979). Competent interactions involve satisfying both patient and provider instrumental goals while creating and maintaining satisfying relationships and identities, a conception that has implicitly been used in Cegala’s research (Cegala et al., 1998). We applied this model to the optometrists’ ability to provide explanations about contact lenses to maximize adherence to recommended lens replacement schedules. A common problem of disposable contact-lens wearers, typically college-aged, is that they do not replace their lenses as prescribed. Improper replacement can lead to serious irreversible eye health consequences. In order to improve adherence to lens replacement schedules, optometrists may explain to their patients the various implications of improper lens replacement using proven explanatory (quasi-scientific and transformative) techniques (Rowan, 2003). In addition, communication which sustains positive relationships and identities with patients is more effective (Cegala et al., 1998). Thus, effective explanations about disposable contact usage contain a number of relational, quasi-scientific, and transformative explanatory elements. To test this model we created a website for optometrists and posted a description of a patient’s problem with contact lens wear, and an answer to the question posed in a doctor-patient Q & A session. We tested the effectiveness of explanations with quasi-logical elements (high-low-none) aimed at helping the patient visualize complex or unfamiliar phenomena; transformational elements (high-low-none), aimed at helping the patient replace in incorrect lay theory; and relational communication elements (high-low-none), that used person-centered message practices in the answer the question posed on the website. College student participants (n=843, 68% female) who were contact lens wearers were randomly assigned to one explanation type, who evaluated it for its effectiveness, and likely effects on the participant’s future eye care behaviors. Analyses of the materials and measures were determined to be realistic and reliable. Five communication-relevant measures were assessed: perceived relationship/person-centeredness; patients’ visualization of problem; the explanation’s understanding/persuasiveness; patients’ future eye health intentions; and optometrist perceived credibility. Explanations that utilized higher levels of relational orientation compared to low levels of relational orientation had higher ratings on all five measures. High level quasi-logical explanations also had comparatively higher ratings on most measures except for relational orientation. High transformational explanation quality also had comparatively higher ratings on all measures, except for patients’ visualization of the problem. These results suggest that all three explanation features constitute optometrist communicative effectiveness. Furthermore, high levels of all three message elements combined into the same explanation were also more effective than the low versions of the message elements for all measures except for patients’ visualization of the problem. Thus, the findings provide initial evidence that optometrist communication competence involves being prosocial and providing informative explanations.