The impact of adverse media reporting on doctor–patient relationships in China: an analysis with propensity-score matching

Abstract Background Numerous studies indicate that the doctor–patient relationship in China is facing serious challenges. What are the major factors affecting their relationship? Does the media play a role in forming peopleu0027s opinions? This study examines the impact of China Central Televisionu0027s report of Chinese doctors getting kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies on perceptions of the doctor–patient relationship. We measure the impacts on both patients and doctors. Methods This study draws data from a national survey in 2017, which included satisfaction surveys among patients and doctors in 136 public tertiary hospitals. We used Likert five-point scales to measure perceptions (presented in centesimal scores) pertaining to the doctor–patient relationship. We used the propensity-score matching method to match the respondents before and after the report (0000 h on Dec 25, 2016, as the critical midpoint of the 2017 survey), and estimated the differences in the perceptions before and after the widely cited report. STATA 14·0 was used to conduct descriptive, propensity-score matching (nearest neighbor 1:1 matching with replacement) and logistic regress analysis. The level of statistical significance was set at 0·05. Findings 9138 ambulatory patients, 5140 inpatients, and 5942 doctors surveyed before the report, were matched with 6372 ambulatory patients, 3701 inpatients, and 1662 doctors surveyed after the report by performing propensity-score matching. The positive perceptions of the inpatients pertaining to the doctor–patient relationship after the report was 0·58 points lower (p=0·03, 95% CI −1·11 to −0·05), and that of doctors was 4·62 points lower (p=0·00, 95% CI −5·44 to −3·81) than those before the report. Interpretation No matter how widely the problem actually exists in China, national media reporting of bad news seems to negatively affect the perception of doctor–patient relationships among both patients and doctors. In this information age, strategies to improve the doctor–patient relationship might need to include media management. Funding National Health and Family Planning Commission of China.