Problems associated with prostate cancer: differences of opinion among health care providers, patients, and spouses.
BACKGROUND
Problems accompany any experience with cancer.


METHODS
Patients, spouses, and providers were asked to identify their perceptions of the problems associated with recently diagnosed prostate cancer. Their answers were compared across respondent categories (physician, nurse, patient, and spouse) and cross-informant variance was analyzed.


RESULTS
Significant variation in responses was noted by respondent categories in spite of the relatively small sample.


CONCLUSIONS
The response variance may contribute to communication problems among patients, spouses, and providers, as well as missed opportunities for medically appropriate referrals to psychological treatment and community support resources.
Jacobs
Jenifer R
JR
University of California at San Diego, LaJolla 92093, USA.
Banthia
Rajni
R
Sadler
Georgia Robins
GR
Varni
James W
JW
Malcarne
Vanessa L
VL
Greenbergs
Helen L
HL
Schmidt
Joseph
J
Johnstone
Peter A S
PA
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires