Journal: Health communication
This study examined how patient-centered communication (PCC) during in-person cancer care influences patients’ confidence in using telehealth tools, using data from 495 Chinese cancer patients with prior telehealth experience. Grounded in self-determination theory, the authors assessed six PCC functions and their impact on four sequential stages of patient activation: recognizing the importance of one’s role, confidence in managing health, taking action, and sustaining health behaviors (“endurance”).
- Key finding: Path analyses showed that specific PCC behaviors—particularly shared decision-making and explicit support for self-management—were significantly associated with higher levels of patient activation.
- Activation stages: Among the activation stages, perceiving one’s role as important and actually taking health-related actions were most strongly related to greater telehealth self-efficacy.
- Mediation effect: The relationship between PCC and telehealth efficacy was fully mediated by these activation stages, indicating that supportive clinical communication enhances telehealth confidence indirectly by increasing patients’ sense of autonomy, competence, and engagement in their care.
The authors conclude that to strengthen cancer patients’ effective use of telehealth, clinicians should go beyond information provision and intentionally use communication strategies that promote patient autonomy and self-management, with particular attention to patients who have low digital confidence.