"It's Probably Nothing Serious, but...": Parents' Interpretation of Referral to Pediatric Cardiologists

Abstract

Differences in parents' interpretations of their child's referral for a heart murmur to pediatric cardiologists were investigated. Interviews with 32 families making their initial visits to a heart specialist were studied through the use of discourse analysis. Among the study's areas of investigation were: parents' concerns over being told that the heart murmur was not cause for worry, but the physician still felt the need to refer the child to a pediatric cardiologist; parents' doubts whether the referring physician had the expertise necessary to know when a murmur was inconsequential; and parents' uneasiness as to whether they should or should not be concerned over their chid's condition. A transcript of an actual referral to a pediatric cardiologist was used to illustrate to physicians how to conduct future referrals for heart murmurs.