Evidence map›Paper›PMID 21353358›Full record

SynthesisSocial science & medicine (1982)2011

Family presence in routine medical visits: a meta-analytical review.

Jennifer L Wolff, Debra L Roter

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Social science & medicine (1982), 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 152 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
152citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

152 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Trial
  5. Relationship between adult and family supporter health literacy levels and supporter roles in diabetes management.Families, systems & health : the journal of collaborative family healthcare · 2021
    Trial
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  11. Trial
  12. Article
  13. Distress dynamics in patient and partner dyads early after stroke/transient ischemic attack: A pilot feasibility study.Families, systems & health : the journal of collaborative family healthcare · 2026
    Observational
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Article

92 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Jennifer L WolffJohns Hopkins University, Department of Health Policy and Management, 624 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. jwolff@jhsph.edu
Debra L Roter

Funding

Optimizing Family Involvement in Late-Life Depression CareK01MH082885 · NIMH · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI WOLFF, JENNIFER L. · 2009 to 2013
$755k
NIMH NIH HHS K01 MH082885NIMH NIH HHS K01MH082885
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Older adults are commonly accompanied to routine physician visits, primarily by adult children and spouses. This is the first review of studies investigating the dynamics and consequences of patient accompaniment. Two types of evidence were examined: (1) observational studies of audio and/or videotaped medical visits, and (2) surveys of patients, families, or health care providers that ascertained experiences, expectations, and preferences for family companion presence and behaviors in routine medical visits. Meta-analytic techniques were used to summarize the evidence describing attributes of unaccompanied and accompanied patients and their companions, medical visit processes, and patient outcomes. The weighted mean rate of patient accompaniment to routine adult medical visits was 37.6% in 13 contributing studies. Accompanied patients were significantly older and more likely to be female, less educated, and in worse physical and mental health than unaccompanied patients. Companions were on average 63 years of age, predominantly female (79.4%), and spouses (54.7%) or adult children (32.2%) of patients. Accompanied patient visits were significantly longer, but verbal contribution to medical dialog was comparable when accompanied patients and their family companion were compared with unaccompanied patients. When a companion was present, health care providers engaged in more biomedical information giving. Given the diversity of outcomes, pooled estimates could not be calculated: of 5 contributing studies 0 were unfavorable, 3 inconclusive, and 2 favorable for accompanied relative to unaccompanied patients. Study findings suggest potential practical benefits from more systematic recognition and integration of companions in health care delivery processes. We propose a conceptual framework to relate family companion presence and behaviors during physician visits to the quality of interpersonal health care processes, patient self management and health care.

Indexed as

Physicians' OfficesPrimary Health CareProfessional-Family RelationsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle Aged

Identifiers

PMID21353358
PMCPMC3070824

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.