Communication skills of doctors in German forensic medicine institutes

The aim of this questionnaire-based study was to assess the communication skills of German forensic pathologists in respect to talks with the next of kin of the deceased and victims of violence (clinical forensic medicine). The study investigated self-confidence in these challenging situations.

All 28 German forensic medicine institutes were asked to participate. After consent had been granted a local investigator was appointed who contributed information about the organizational structure and delivered the local questionnaires to the colleagues.

A total of 25 German forensic institutes participated and146 out of 192 questionnaires were retrieved (response rate 76 %: 72 female, 70 male and 4 unknown). The results of the whole sample are shown and the distribution of female/male doctors in respect to the professional status, the amount and topics of next of kin contact and contact to victims of violence and the estimated need for further training. Of the responders 52 % have on average 1–5 contacts with the next of kin of the deceased per month and12 % have more contact. Of the whole sample 30 % but nearly half of the female responders have experienced themselves as not being well-prepared in the past and 38 % reported these conversations to be more challenging than those with victims of violence. Further communication training for the next of kin contact was judged as necessary to very necessary by 64 % of the participating doctors, especially highlighted by those in leading positions. Of the participants 57 % conduct 1–5 examinations per month, 32 % carry out more, 80 % assessed these contacts as difficult and for 7 % even more than next of kin contacts. Further education for the care of victims of violence was evaluated as necessary to very necessary by 74 %, mainly by interns. Both kinds of contact are equally difficult for 36 %.