Standardized patients' perceptions about their own health care

Background. There have been detailed descriptions on standardized patient ( SP) programs' effects on students, curricula, and faculty, yet little atten tion has been paid to the consequences of participating on the SP's. Purpose: This study explored the perceptions of SPs toward their own health care in the contact of having served as SPs. Method. All 180 SPs participating in Department of Medicine programs at 5 m edical schools were surveyed. They completed the survey during SP activitie s, or it was mailed to them. SPs indicated their level of agreement or disa greement with 11 attitude statements related to their own health care after serving as an SP using a Likert scale, with 1 reflecting the most positive attitude and 5 the least positive. Results: Responses to the attitudinal questions were obtained from 164 SPs (91%). SPs perceived that because of their participation as SPs they had a better understanding about medical history taking and physical examinations (1.9+/-0.9), communicated more effectively with their healthcare provider (1.8+/-0.9), and were more comfortable with both health care visits and phy sical examinations (2.2+/-0.9). There were no significant differences in re sults based on gender age, race, or school. Conclusions: As a consequence of their participation, the SPs indicated a c hange in attitudes about their personal health care. They perceived improve d understanding and ability to communicate and comfort with their own healt h care. Participation in SP programs seems to influence SPs by improving pe rceptions about their own health care interactions.