“Laughter, a good medicine? A qualitative investigation of Indian doctors’ views on using humour in medical settings”

Pages: 1463-1470
Dhriti Mittal and Megha Dhillon (Department of Psychology, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi, Delhi)

This study explored Indian doctors’ views about their use of humour with patients, the benefits served by it and the factors determining its use. The Humour Styles Questionnaire was administered to 66 doctors working in various hospitals and clinics. Ten doctors who reported the frequent use of humour with patients were subsequently interviewed. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Doctors reported the use of humour to be beneficial for patients in various ways. Some benefits included enhanced communication between doctors and patients, reduction in patients’ pain levels and better adherence to treatment. Benefits of humour were also identified for the patients’ families and the doctors themselves. Various factors influenced the use of humour. Patient-related factors were most frequently discussed. Some of these included the condition of the patient, patients’ receptivity to humour and their personality characteristics. The apprehension that their humour may be misunderstood was a concern shared by several doctors. Use of humour by the doctors was reported to have changed over time. Implications of the study and directions for future research have been identified.