A STUDY TO ASSESS THE ATTITUDE OF MEDICAL STUDENTS TOWARDS LEARNING COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN A TEACHING HOSPITAL IN ANDHRA PRADESH

R. ASHA LATHA; M. A. FARHANA; S. SHARON SONIA; N. M. RIYAZ; B. S. B MALLIKA

doi:10.22159/ijcpr.2024v16i1.4021

Authors

R. ASHA LATHA Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Anantapuramu, Andhra Pradesh, India
M. A. FARHANA Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Anantapuramu, Andhra Pradesh, India
S. SHARON SONIA Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Anantapuramu, Andhra Pradesh, India
N. M. RIYAZ Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Anantapuramu, Andhra Pradesh, India https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0600-1277
B. S. B MALLIKA Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Anantapuramu, Andhra Pradesh, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ijcpr.2024v16i1.4021

Keywords:

Communication skills attitude scale (CSAS), AETCOM, Positive attitude, negative attitude, MBBS curriculum, Doctor-patient relationship

Abstract

Objective: Communication plays an essential role in present era of medical and health system where doctor should maintain good interpersonal relationship with patients. Teaching of communication skills to medical students as a part of the curriculum has gained importance in recent past. This study was conducted to assess attitude of medical students towards learning communication skills.

Methods: Prior institutional ethical committee approval and prior informed consent obtained from participants. Study conducted among medical students of second and third year MBBS. Students were given a questionnaire (google forms). Questionnaire consisted of 26 items related to positive and negative attitude; 13 items in each subscale. Responses received were entered and analysed in Microsoft excel.

Results: Total of 300 students participated, with a response rate of 76%. 132(57.9%) students were second year and 96(42.1%) were third year. 159(69.7%) students were females and 69(30.3%) were males. Reliability of scale was calculated using Cronbach’s Alpha, 0.859 for PAS and 0.704 for NAS; which were good and acceptable values. Better positive attitude scores (52.34±6.03) observed over negative attitude scores (40.07±6.40), implies students having a positive attitude towards learning communication skills. There were no significant differences between scores when compared between males and females and between second and third year MBBS students.

Conclusion: Results of study emphasize that introduction of AETCOM learning modules in the medical curriculum has a positive impact on students towards learning communication skills. Doctor-patient inter-relationship, treatment decision-making, etc., are dependent on doctor’s communication skills; which can be improved and strengthened with AETCOM implementation in medical curriculum.

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