Preprint,
Narrative Medicine to Affect Empathy in Medication Counselling – A Pre-Post Intervention Study of a Course in Narrative Medicine for Pharmacists
Contributors
Graabæk, Trine
0000-0001-6848-3107
[1]
Rasmussen, Anders Juhl
0000-0001-7718-5208
[2]
Rossing, Charlotte Verner
0000-0002-8220-1417
[3]
Hedegaard, Ulla
0000-0002-8958-2187
[1]
Affiliations
- [1] University of Southern Denmark [NORA names: SDU University of Southern Denmark; University; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD];
- [2] University of Copenhagen [NORA names: KU University of Copenhagen; University; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD];
- [3] Pharmakon
Abstract
Background
Narrative medicine is a recent cross-disciplinary approach aiming to encourage empathy, reflection, professionalism, and trustworthiness through aesthetic activities such a reading fiction and creative writing.
Aim
The aim of this study was to investigate if a post-graduate course in narrative medicine affects the level of empathy among pharmacists.
Method
During 2020–2021, three courses in narrative medicine were evaluated in Odense, Denmark. The primary outcome was the pharmacists’ self-reported level of empathy measured with Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE).
Results
A total of 33 community and hospital pharmacists participated in the three courses. The pharmacists’ median age was 41 years, 91% were female, 76% were working at community pharmacy, and 47% were, according to themselves, rare readers. A statistically significant increase was found in mean total JSE score from 109.9 +/- 17.1 before the course to 115.7 +/- 14.6 after the course (p = 0.0362).
Conclusion
Following the course in narrative medicine the level of empathy for the pharmacists according to JSE was enhanced. We recommend that future studies also use patient-reported outcomes to explore if the self-experienced enhanced empathy among pharmacists reaches the patients’ confidence and well-being.
