What kind of communication skills do Chinese fishermen expect from their family doctors?

Objective : To explore Chinese fishermens’ expectations (a group of culturally distinct people) of the communication skills of their family doctors. Design : A qualitative study of subjects’ opinions using semistructured focus group interviews. Setting : Southern district of Hong Kong Island where many of the residents have a fisherman background. Participants : Twenty-nine participants took part in eight focus group interviews. Main results : Chinese fishermen expressed specific expectations of their family doctors’ communication behaviors. They wanted their doctors to listen to them, to answer questions and to explain things, to be detailed in both history and physical examination and to show care in all aspects, not just physical problems. These needs were very similar to those reported in western societies. Conclusions : Similar to Western populations, Chinese fishermen expect their family doctors to possess caring attitudes and good clinical communication. © 2002 Blackwell Publishing Asia