title: Problems associated with prostate cancer: differences of opinion among health care providers, patients, and spouses.
abstract: 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.
authors: University of California at San Diego, LaJolla 92093, USA.
authors: Jenifer R
authors: JR
authors: Jacobs
authors: Rajni
authors: R
authors: Banthia
authors: Georgia Robins
authors: GR
authors: Sadler
authors: James W
authors: JW
authors: Varni
authors: Vanessa L
authors: VL
authors: Malcarne
authors: Helen L
authors: HL
authors: Greenbergs
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: Schmidt
authors: Peter A S
authors: PA
authors: Johnstone
mesh_terms: 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