Good doctor-patient communication is crucial in the field of contraception and core to shared decision making. There is less literature that is available about how doctors manage contraceptive consultation for primary health care in Australia. Unfortunately, there is very little is known about how doctors discuss sexual issues related to contraception.
Fifteen contraceptive providers participated in qualitative interviews averaging forty-five minutes. Interviews were audio-recorded so that researchers can transcribe the verbatim, and analyze obtained data using an inductive thematic approach.
The researchers found that doctors were aware that they had to modify their illness-based ‘scripts’ in consultations about contraception. Doctors said it was challenging always to adhere to a shared model of decision making. Prescribing behavior demonstrated the personal preferences concerning some forms of contraception, and doctors were enthusiastic about the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system.
The study concluded that there is a range of factors that appears to influence doctors’ approaches to contraceptive management. The doctors have medical training that enables them to move out of an illness-treating framework and to improve their comfort in discussing sexuality issues will improve their management of healthy women seeking contraception.
Reference: https://srh.bmj.com/content/43/2/119
