List five blocking tactics used during health care interviews.

Question

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The Answer is During health care interviews, blocking tactics can be used intentionally or unintentionally by patients or interviewees to avoid discussing certain topics or to steer the conversation away from sensitive areas. Here are five common blocking tactics that might be encountered:

1. **Subject Changing**: The interviewee may abruptly change the subject to avoid discussing uncomfortable or distressing topics. For example, when a health care provider asks about a patient's smoking habits, the patient might quickly shift the conversation to talk about a recent family event.

2. **Vagueness**: The interviewee might give vague, non-specific answers that don't provide the necessary detail. This can be a way to avoid delving into topics they find personal or embarrassing. For instance, when asked about medication adherence, a patient might respond with, "I take my medications regularly," without specifying which medications or the frequency.

3. **Minimization**: This involves downplaying the significance of an issue. A patient might acknowledge a health-related behavior or symptom but insist that it's not a big deal or doesn't warrant further discussion. For example, a patient might admit to experiencing chest pain but quickly add that it's probably just indigestion and not worth exploring.

4. **Silence**: Sometimes, an interviewee might respond to a question with silence. This can be a powerful blocking tactic, as it puts the onus on the interviewer to fill the silence or move on to another topic. Silence can indicate discomfort, resistance, or a lack of willingness to engage with the question posed.

5. **Over-Talking**: In contrast to silence, some interviewees might engage in excessive talking, often providing more information than what was asked for or telling long-winded stories. This can serve to monopolize the conversation and prevent the interviewer from asking further probing questions about specific health concerns.

Health care professionals need to be aware of these tactics and have strategies in place to gently guide the conversation back to the necessary topics while maintaining empathy and respect for the patient's comfort levels. Effective communication skills, including active listening and the use of open-ended questions, can help in navigating these blocking tactics and ensuring a thorough and productive health care interview.

List Five Blocking Tactics Used During Health Care Interviews