Background & Aims

Backround: Clinician-patient interactions are important in promoting positive treatment expectations, treatment adherence and placebo effects [1,3-5]. In addition to verbal communication, procedural touch as a nonverbal element may also influence the interaction. Professional touch can not only facilitate physical examination and diagnosis, but also provide an opportunity to convey a sense of care and emotional support, thus contributing significantly to the positive development of the healing process [2,6,7,9]. Despite this potential, professional touch is not widelyless and less used, and technical examinations are preferred [8]. In fact, the frequency of touch during medical examinations appears to be decreasing. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of manipulating modulating procedural touch on important relevant therapeutic outcome parameters, including expectations and placebo response.

Methods

In this randomized controlled trial, 100 German-speaking adults with a current complaint of back or neck pain participated in a simulated treatment interaction. It consisted of a structured introduction, short interview, standardized diagnostic examination, explanation of the a pain killer cream, specific exercises, and closing. The physical interaction, in particular the use of procedural touch, was manipulatedvaried between two groups. The experimental group received a treatment interview with procedural touch, while the control group received treatment without procedural touch. The target parameters were recorded before and after the treatment as well as 7 days after the application of a recommended placebo cream and the recommended exercises.

Results

Based on studies in which the practitioner-patient interaction was manipulated, the current study suggests that potentially higher treatment expectations can be expected if professional touch is part of the examinationin the experimental group compared to the control group. It can also be assumed that the placebo response of participants in the experimental group is more pronounced than that of participants in the control group.

Conclusions

The results of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of nonverbal factors, especially medical touch, in medical practice. It shows ways in which palpation in the medical examination can lead to greater treatment satisfaction, better treatment adherence and better treatment success.

References

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6.Kim, S. S., Kaplowitz, S., & Johnston, M. V. (2004). The effects of physician empathy on patient satisfaction and compliance. Evaluation & the Health Professions, 27(3), 237–251. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163278704267037
7.Olsson, B., Olsson, B., & Tibblin, G. (1989). Effect of patients’ expectations on recovery from acute tonsillitis. Family Practice, 6(3), 188–192. https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/6.3.188
8.Pepito, J. A. T., Babate, F. J. G., & Dator, W. L. T. (2023). The nurses’ touch: An irreplaceable component of caring. Nursing Open, 10(9), 5838–5842. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1860
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Presenting Author

Fatima Bouloukt

Poster Authors

Fatima Bouloukt

M.Sc.

University of Marburg

Lead Author

E-mail

Topics

  • Placebo