Impact of Face Mask Use on Doctor-Patient Communication: A Patient-Centric Comparison between Adult and Elderly Patients
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Abstract
Background: This study aims to investigate the impact of wearing face masks on communication, as well as attitudes towards mask-wearing, from the perspective of adult patients compared to elderly patients receiving services at the Family Medicine Clinic, Bhor Por Ror Buliding, 15th floor, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society.
Design: Cross-sectional study
Methods: The researcher conducted the study using a questionnaire administered to individuals aged 18 and above who visited services at the Family Medicine Clinic, Bhor Por Ror Buliding, 15th floor, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, from July to August 2024. The data were analyzed to compare the adult group with the elderly group.
Results: A total of 404 participants were included in the study, with 202 individuals in both the adult and elderly groups. The overall impact of mask-wearing on both speaking and listening abilities significantly differed between the two groups (p < 0.001, p = 0.003, respectively). However, when analyzing overall communication, the levels of feeling of being isolated, empathy, confidence in medical care and doctor-patient relationships were not significantly different (p = 0.053, p = 0.242, p = 0.213, p = 0.085, respectively), except for social distance maintained by the doctor towards the patient (p = 0.001).
Conclusions: The impact of wearing face masks on communication revealed significant statistical differences when comparing the perspectives of adult and elderly patients, both in their roles as senders and receivers of messages. Furthermore, attitudes towards the decision to wear masks in various situations between the two populations also presented significant statistical differences, except for the decision to wear masks in hospitals.
Keywords: communication, doctor-patient communication, face mask
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