Abstract
Background
Effective communication to cancer patients allows better emotional response to diagnosis,
coping with health professionals and compliance to treatment. We lack specific studies
on patterns of clinical communication in elderly patients, their involvement in decision
making and the role of their families.
Patients and methods
Structured interviews to collect information on diagnosis and prognosis disclosure,
satisfaction with information, compliance to disease experience and willingness toward
receiving more information and coping, were administered to patients age 65 years
and older and receiving chemotherapy.
Results
Six hundred and twenty two patients completed the interviews and were evaluated. Four
hundred and twelve (66.2%) were informed, 210 (33.8%) were not informed.
Information was associated with age, degree of education, geographical area, ECOG-PS,
tumour site and family composition and the patient’s perception of being supported
in the disease experience.
The majority of the patients consider their families as the main source of support
in the disease experience (86.5%), wish to have a family member participating in oncology
consultation (79.1%) and consider the information received complete and understandable
or clear and reassuring (80%). Receiving adequate information facilitates a better
patient–health professional relationship for 84.8% of the patients. 63% of the patients
dealt positively with cancer and 62.2% showed positive expectations for the future.
Informed patients refer better expectation than those not informed.
Conclusion
Our study underlines the importance of clinical information for older cancer patients
and the need to involve family members in the processes of diagnosis and prognosis
disclosure and decision making.
Health professionals must consider specific age-related issues including social, cultural
and emotional aspects and understand the role that the family members play in the
disease experience of elderly patients.
Competent caring for elderly cancer patients must provide adequate information and
emotional support not only to the patients but also to their family to assure appropriateness
of care.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 06, 2008
Accepted:
August 22,
2008
Received:
August 6,
2008
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 Elsevier Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
