Claustrophobia during diagnostic imaging examinations, doctor–patient communication quality, and doctor–patient trust: a cross-sectional mediation and latent profile analysis

Objective This study aimed to examine the mediating role of patient-perceived doctor–patient communication quality in the association between claustrophobia and doctor–patient trust in the context of diagnostic imaging examinations, and to further identify latent profiles of patients’ claustrophobic experiences from a person-centered perspective. Methods A cross-sectional design was adopted. Patients undergoing diagnostic imaging examinations (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and computed tomography [CT]) at two tertiary Grade-A hospitals in Sichuan Province, China, completed a self-report questionnaire assessing claustrophobia, doctor–patient communication quality, and doctor–patient trust, together with demographic and examination-related characteristics. Results Claustrophobia was significantly and negatively correlated with both doctor–patient communication quality and doctor–patient trust. Bootstrap analysis indicated a statistically significant cross-sectional indirect effect via doctor-patient communication quality (unstandardized effect = -0.095, 95% CI [-0.170, -0.028]); this indirect effect corresponded to 29.91% of the total effect, a descriptive proportion that does not itself imply causal mediation. Latent profile analysis identified two subgroups—a low-claustrophobia profile and a high-claustrophobia profile—with average posterior classification probabilities of 0.99 for both profiles. The two profiles did not differ significantly in doctor–patient communication quality, whereas a significant difference emerged in doctor–patient trust, with patients in the high-claustrophobia profile reporting significantly lower trust than those in the low-claustrophobia profile. Conclusions These findings suggest that radiology departments should prioritize the early screening and stratified management of claustrophobia, and should employ clear, supportive, and patient-centered communication strategies to enhance patients’ sense of safety, perceived control, and trust, thereby improving the imaging examination experience and facilitating successful examination completion.