Predictors of good-quality counselling from the perspective of hospitalised chronically ill adults

Abstract

Aims and objectives: To determine the factors that predict the quality of patient counselling from the perspective of hospitalised chronically ill adults.

Background: In view of the growing number of adults with chronic diseases and a lack of resources in health care, it would be valuable for healthcare professionals to know which factors result in good-quality counselling for such individuals.

Design: The study used a cross-sectional, descriptive design.

Methods: Data were collected from chronically ill adults (n = 106) in northern Finland and were analysed using logistic regression.

Results: Counselling implementation was perceived to be of good quality if it was preplanned (odds ratio = 24·07) and patient-centred (odds ratio = 16·03) and if interaction during counselling (odds ratio = 13·27) was good. Counselling about social support (odds ratio = 14·78), preplanned counselling (odds ratio = 9·69), counselling about the results of investigations (odds ratio = 7·84) and counselling about disease progression (odds ratio = 7·66) were statistically significant predictors of the content being considered good quality. The effects of counselling on disease treatment (odds ratio = 11·33), patient-centred counselling (odds ratio = 9·75) and counselling about the effects of attitudes (odds ratio = 9·52) were statistically significant predictors of highly beneficial counselling. Counselling about the effects of disease treatment (odds ratio = 9·71) and interaction during counselling (odds ratio = 4·91) predicted the quality of counselling materials and methods.

Conclusion: The results could be used to help healthcare professionals to ensure good-quality counselling by highlighting the areas that are most important to meet the expectations of chronically ill adults.

Relevance to clinical practice: The results can be used to develop the quality of chronically ill adults' counselling as well as to educate staff to focus better on chronically ill patients' counselling because it is necessary to develop new ways to offer more patient-centred counselling in order to address patients' needs and fit care to patients' lifestyles.

Keywords: chronic disease; chronic illness; counselling; education; quality.