Communication during food-animal veterinarian-producer interactions during on-farm appointments
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This thesis compromises two studies exploring communication in food-animal veterinary practice. Objectives were to identify factors associated with producers’ visit-specific satisfaction following on-farm veterinarian-producer interactions, explore veterinarians’ and producers’ perceptions of producer-centeredness (VPPC and PPPC, respectively) and to examine factors associated with these perceptions. Following a veterinarian-producer interaction, producers (n = 207) completed a questionnaire assessing their satisfaction and PPPC. Veterinarians (n = 41) completed the VPPC questionnaire. Factors associated with producer satisfaction were producer age (satisfaction decreased with age), producer gender (males less satisfied) and PPPC (satisfaction increased with PPPC). Significant asymmetry was observed, with veterinarians’ ratings of producer-centeredness lower than producers. PPPC decreased as veterinarian burnout increased. Factors associated with VPPC were veterinarian compassion satisfaction (increased as VPPC increased), length of interaction (increased as VPPC increased) and producer gender (males lower VPPC). Findings encourage use of producer-centered communication by food-animal veterinarians to effect positive outcomes of veterinary care.