Communication Skills Training for Physicians Improves Health Literacy and Medical Outcomes among Patients with Hypertension: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Improving the training of physician about communication skills and patient health literacy (HL) is a major priority that remains an open question. We aimed to examine the effect of communication skills training for physicians on the HL skills and hypertension outcomes among patients with uncontrolled blood pressure (BP). Methods: A randomized controlled trial method was conducted to enroll 242 hypertensive patients and 35 physicians from healthcare clinics in the Mashhad, Iran. Regression model and bivariate analysis were used to assess whether the physician training improved physicians-patient communication skills, hypertension outcomes, self-efficacy, and patient medication adherence after intervention. Results: after the physician communication training, there was significant improvement in physicians-patient communication skills, hypertension outcomes, medication adherence, and self-efficacy among the patients being managed by the physicians receiving training, compared to the control group. Conclusion: The educational intervention leads to better BP control; it may have been sufficient training of physicians change to impact counseling, HL and self-efficacy and adherence. The quality of physician-patient relationship is an important modifiable element of the medical communication that may influences health outcomes in hypertensive Iranian patients. Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT), IRCT20160710028863N24. Registered April 4, 2018 [retrospectively registered].