In Russia, bad news is not given to patients. Patients may demand to hear the truth but they do not want to hear the bad news. Talk to their relatives first. Be aware that Russian patients and families may ask for new treatments or procedures. Patients expect doctors to explain, in detail, new tests or new medicines.
Russian patients are distrustful of doctors.
They tend to disobey doctor s orders such as not taking medications as prescribed or combining them with Russian treatments. Russian patients prefer alternative methods or treatment such as massage or mud-therapy, a popular treatment in Russia. Russian patients are more likely to follow through with a homeopathic remedy versus traditional Western medicine. Psychiatric disease is disgraceful in Russia. Russian patients often do not provide answers regarding any family history of psychiatric illness or past psychiatric treatments.