Health professional-patient communication practices in East Asia: An integrative review of an emerging field of research and practice in Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Mainland China

• Published in: Patient education and counseling Vol. 101; no. 7; pp. 1193 - 1206
• Main Authors: Pun, Jack K.H., Chan, E. Angela, Wang, Sophie, Slade, Diana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01.07.2018
• Subjects: China; Communication; Decision Making; Doctor-patient; East-Asia; Empathy; Family; Health care communication; Health Communication; Hong Kong; Humans; Japan; Mainland China; Nurse-patient; Nurse-Patient Relations; Nursing; Patient involvement; Patient Satisfaction; Patient-Centered Care; Patient-centred care; Physician-Patient Relations; Professional-Family Relations; Quality of Health Care; Republic of Korea; Review; South Korea; Taiwan; Trust; Hong Kong; China; Japan; Republic of Korea; Taiwan; Patient-centred care; Hong Kong; East-Asia; Japan; Mainland China; Empathy; Patient involvement; Review; Trust; Nurse-patient; Doctor-patient; South Korea; Taiwan; Communication; Health care communication
• ISSN: 0738-3991; 1873-5134
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2018.01.018

•It is problematic to interpret Asian practices through the lens of Western models.•This review offers an in-depth view of health communication in East Asian context.•It summarises evidences on cultural practices of health communication in Asia.•This paper urges for developing culturally-specific models of health communication.•Clinicians should build on Asian specifics to improve relationship with patients. To provide an integrative review of literature on health communication in East Asia and detail culturally-specific influences. Using PRISMA model, search of PubMed, PsychInfo, Web of Knowledge, ERIC and CINAHL databases were conducted for studies between January 2000 and March 2017, using the terms ‘clinician/health professional-patient', ‘nurse/doctor-patient, ‘communication' and ‘Asia'. 38 studies were included: Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. The existing body of research on clinician patient communication in East Asia can be classified: 1) understanding the roles and expectations of the nurse, clinician, patient, and family in clinician-patient consultations: a) nurse-patient communication; b) doctor-patient communication; c) the role of family member; and 2) factors affecting quality of care: d) cultural attitudes towards death and terminal illnesses; e) communication preferences affecting trust, decision-making and patient satisfaction; f) the extent to which patient centred care is being implemented in practice; and g) communication practices in multilingual/multi-disciplinary environments. The review detailed the complexity and heterogeneity of clinician-patient communication across East Asia. The studies reviewed indicate that research in East Asia is starting to move beyond a preference for Western-based communication practices. There is a need to consider local culture in understanding and interpreting medical encounters in East Asia. The paper highlights the need for a specific culturally-appropriate model of health communication in East Asia which may significantly improve relationships between clinicians and patients.