Patients' need for information about cancer therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To obtain detailed information about the preferences of patients with cancer and their need for information about side effects of cancer treatment to design an interactive multimedia educational program.


METHODS
Qualitative.


METHODS
Regional rural academic medical center.


METHODS
51 patients and 14 spouses of patients who either currently were undergoing or recently had completed chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer.


METHODS
Focus groups.


METHODS
Information needs and common and distressing symptoms.


RESULTS
Patients wanted information about the process of getting treatment, specific side effects that might occur, and the impact of treatment on their lives. Patients sought information from a variety of sources, but many found that other patients were the most helpful source. Although most patients wanted as much information as possible so they would be prepared for whatever happened, some patients preferred to avoid information about possible side effects. Several obstacles related to information were reported, including access to providers, communication difficulties with providers, informational overload, and problems with retention.


CONCLUSIONS
Several aspects regarding information needs confirmed previous findings, and new aspects were illuminated. This led to a conclusion that multimedia technology offered many advantages to meet these informational needs.


CONCLUSIONS
New approaches to patient education that will meet the needs of patients as well as clinicians and educators need to be developed.
Skalla
Karen A
KA
Norris Cotton Cancer Center, USA. karen.a.skalla@hitchcock.org
Bakitas
Marie
M
Furstenberg
Charlotte T
CT
Ahles
Tim
T
Henderson
Joseph V
JV
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D019034:CD-I / Q000639:trends; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019212:Multimedia / Q000639:trends; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000639:trends
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents