The following is a summary of “Effects of a Patient Question Prompt List on Question Asking and Self-Efficacy During Outpatient Palliative Care Appointments,” published in the APRIL 2023 issue of Endocrinology & Metabolism by McDarby, et al.

Question prompt lists (QPLs) are tools used to encourage participation in medical appointments, especially in the context of serious illness care. However, there was no evidence of the effects of QPLs on outpatient palliative care. For a study, researchers sought to investigate the effects of using a QPL during initial outpatient palliative care appointments, using the Self-Efficacy Theory to evaluate its impact on appointment participation and perceived self-efficacy. Using the Self-Efficacy Theory as a framework, they aimed to evaluate the effects of using a 25-question QPL during initial outpatient palliative care appointments on patient and care partner participation and perceived self-efficacy.

The pilot randomized controlled trial included patients and care partners attending the patient’s first palliative care appointment. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a QPL before the appointment (n = 29 appointments) or usual care (n = 30 appointments). Audio recordings of the appointments were analyzed for the total number of questions asked, and participants reported their perceived self-efficacy in question asking before and after the appointment. The study used analysis of variance to compare appointment participation between the two groups and a linear mixed effects model to compare changes in perceived self-efficacy.

The use of QPLs did not significantly increase the number of questions asked by patients and care partners during the appointments. However, there was a significant main effect of time on self-efficacy, with participants reporting an increase in self-efficacy from pre- to post-appointment, regardless of the intervention.

Despite previous promising results, the study suggested that QPLs may not significantly impact patient and care partner questions asked in outpatient palliative care appointments. Other mechanisms outlined in the Self-Efficacy Theory may better characterize the relationship between question-asking and self-efficacy.

Reference: jpsmjournal.com/article/S0885-3924(22)01039-9/fulltext