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Making an informed decision of Korean cancer patients: the discrepancy between a patient’s recall of information and the information needed for acquisition of radiotherapy informed consent

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Abstract

Introduction

To give informed consent, a patient needs to sufficiently understand the information provided by a physician to decide among treatment options. Although shared decision-making is becoming an important aspect of patient-centered care, little is known about decision-making by cancer patients in Korea.

Objectives

This study assessed Korean cancer patients’ understanding of treatment goals and the need to obtain further information after a physician obtained informed consent for radiotherapy.

Methods

In this prospective study, doctors and patients completed questionnaires independently after informed consent for radiotherapy had been obtained. The questionnaires for the doctors and patients were comprised of matched items regarding treatment aims and the need for further information.

Results

The study enrolled 103 cancer patients scheduled for radiotherapy. The proportion of respondents who stated that the intent of treatment was to bring about a cure was 80.6% among the patients (83 of 103 patients) and 53.4% (55 of 103 patients) among the doctors (p = 0.000). The proportion of respondents who believed that the aim was prolongation of life was 16.5 and 1.9%, respectively (p = 0.000). Regarding the need for further information, 42.7% (44/103) of the patients did not want further information because they had faith in the physicians’ medical expertise.

Conclusion

Many Korean cancer patients misunderstand the aims of treatment and half of participants do not want further information. Physicians should address whether specific interventions can solve these barriers so that Korean cancer patients can make truly autonomous treatment decisions.

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Acknowledgements

No funding was received for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Goyang, South Korea

    Hye Ran Lee

  2. Biostatistics of School of Medicine, Dongguk University, Seoul, South Korea

    Chiyeon Lim

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang, South Korea

    Hyong Geun Yun

  4. Department of Radiation Oncology, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Goyang, South Korea

    Seung Hee Kang

  5. Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Kunggi-do Ilsandonggu Dongguk-ro 27, Goyang, 10326, South Korea

    Do Yeun Kim

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  1. Hye Ran Lee
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  2. Chiyeon Lim
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  3. Hyong Geun Yun
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  4. Seung Hee Kang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Do Yeun Kim.

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Conflict of interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in the present study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional review board and with the Helsinki declaration.

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Lee, H.R., Lim, C., Yun, H.G. et al. Making an informed decision of Korean cancer patients: the discrepancy between a patient’s recall of information and the information needed for acquisition of radiotherapy informed consent. Support Care Cancer 26, 297–303 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-017-3848-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-017-3848-8

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