Published in:
01-11-2006 | Original Article
Different attitudes of oncology clinicians toward truth telling of different stages of cancer
Authors:
Yu Jiang, Jun-ying Li, Chang Liu, Mei-juan Huang, Lin Zhou, Mei Li, Xia Zhao, Yu-quan Wei
Published in:
Supportive Care in Cancer
|
Issue 11/2006
Login to get access
Abstract
Objectives
To investigate different attitudes of oncology clinicians toward whether and how to disclose diagnosis to patients with different stages of cancer.
Materials and methods
A questionnaire investigating physician’s demographic information and attitude toward truth telling was delivered to 256 Chinese oncology clinicians.
Results
Two hundred thirty-two (90.6%) physicians completed the questionnaire. Of these oncology clinicians, 87.5% reported that a patient with early-stage cancer should be informed of the diagnosis, while only 40.5% believed that a patient with terminal illness should know the truth (P<0.001). Physicians who preferred to tell the truth reported that patients with early or terminal stage of cancer should be informed by the doctor-in-charge (81.3 vs 77.7%, respectively; P>0.05), immediately after the diagnosis (83.7 vs 87.2%, respectively), and in a quiet and undisturbed room (63.5 vs 68.1%, respectively; P>0.05). In stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses, no demographic information showed association with truth telling of early-stage cancer. Women doctors [odds ratio (OR), 2.25; 95% CI, 1.31 to 3.89; P=0.004] were more likely than men to want the patient to be informed of the terminal illness. Physicians with cancer relatives (OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.31 to 0.97; P=0.04) were less likely than physicians without cancer relatives to want the patient to be informed of the terminal illness.
Conclusion
Oncology clinicians differed in their attitudes toward truth telling of different stages of cancer. Physicians reported that the doctor-in-charge should be the ones to disclose the condition of the patient, immediately after the diagnosis, and in a quiet and undisturbed room.