Health Policy Manag.  2021 Dec;31(4):518-530. 10.4332/KJHPA.2021.31.4.518.

The Effect of Having a Usual Source of Care on Patient-Centered Communication among Persons with Disabilities

• Jeon B
• Lee M
• Ahn E

• KMID: 2525787
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2021.31.4.518

Abstract

Background
This study examined the effect of having a usual source of care on the degree of patient-centered communication among persons with disability. The role of the usual source of care has been emphasized to improve patient experience, especially for patients with complex health conditions.
Methods
This study used the 2017–2018 Korean Health Panel data, and the final study observations were 22,475 (20,806 people without disability and 1,669 people with disability). We applied generalized estimating equation model to show the effect of having a usual source of care on patient-centered communication, and subgroup analysis considering the types and severity of disabilities.
Results
Persons who have disabilities, compared with ones without it, significantly had more usual sources of care (32.4% vs. 24.6%). By type of disability, persons with mental (51.4%), internal organ (43.8%), visual (37%), and physical disabilities (31.6%) had more usual sources of care than hearing/speech (26.6%), and developmental disabilities (18.6%). The average score of patient-centered communication was higher among who had a usual sources of care (3.2 vs. 2.7), and the regression analysis showed that having a usual sources of care was positively associated with higher patient-centered communication score (β=0.476, p<0.05). However, the positive effects of usual sources of care was not observed among persons with severe hearing/speech, developmental, and mental disabilities.
Conclusion
This study showed that role of patient-centered communication was limited in persons with severe hearing/speech disabilities, developmental, and mental disabilities. The education programs and supports are needed to improve communication skills between medical staff and persons with specific types of disabilities.

Keyword

Usual source of care; Patient-centered communication; Disability; Korea Health Panel