The doctor's empathy linked to better health outcomes for type 2 diabetes



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An empathic doctor could help reduce the risk of premature death in people with type 2 diabetes, said researchers at the University of Cambridge.

The research team wanted to study the impact of general practitioners' behavior on their patients on their health and reported that a positive behavioral change could play an important role in improving outcomes. health outcomes.

Questionnaires were collected from 628 people in 49 GP practices in the UK, one year after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

They were asked about their experience of diabetes care within the surgery and their responses were divided into three groups based on the level of empathy received from their doctor. The groups were based on the result obtained by the participants according to a score of consultation and relational empathy (CARE).

The results showed that just under one in five (19%) had had cardiovascular disease and that 21% of people had died from causes such as cancer and a heart attack during follow-up.

In particular, the risk of death was reduced by 40 to 50% among those who reported that their doctor had shown empathy at appointments 13 months after diagnosis.

Hajira Dambha-Miller, a physician and researcher in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge, said, "In trying to manage the growing burden of preventable chronic diseases, we are moving more and more towards Precision care, goal-care focused on care and technology-based badessment, while focusing less on the human, empathic and interpersonal aspects of care.

"Our findings suggest that these more humane elements of early-stage health care, during diabetes, may be important to their long-term health.The potential impact is considerable and is comparable to prescription drugs, but without the problems badociated with side effects or non-adherence. "

The researchers listed several reasons why empathy can be linked to better health outcomes. Possible reasons include the fact that empathic physicians may be better able to promote positive behavioral change.

The results of the study were published in the Annals of Family Medicine.

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