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Abstract

Patients that suffer from invisible chronic illness (ICI) such as autoimmune conditions, neurological conditions, and gastrointestinal problems often struggle to obtain a proper medical diagnosis due to a lack of objective indicators to help health-care providers diagnose patients with ICIs. Thus, researchers conducted interviews with 21 participants with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) to determine what messages they received from health-care providers as they pursued a diagnosis, how they interpreted those messages, and what role mHealth technology may play in improving patient/provider communication and effective diagnosis/treatment of ICIs. Several themes regarding potential instructional communication intervention content emerged from the interview data, including physician communication to patients, patient interpretation of physician communication, and information-seeking via mHealth technology. Directions for future research and implications for patient and provider instruction and training, including utilizing the IDEA model, are discussed.

DOI

10.31446/JCP.2021.1.02

Author ORCID Identifier

Jami L. Warren: 0000-0001-6209-2420

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