Information needs of recently diagnosed cancer patients in Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
The communication and disclosure of medical information to cancer patients has been an important issue in oncology, reflecting changes in the physicians' approach when dealing with the patients' ethical right to receive information. The aim of this study was to assess the general and specific information desired by cancer patients regarding their health conditions and to evaluate minor psychiatric symptoms.


METHODS
Two-hundred and ninety-eight patients were examined at an oncological cancer center in São Paulo, Brazil, using a questionnaire designed to investigate patients' preferences about cancer information and evaluate minor psychiatric symptoms.


RESULTS
Ninety-five percent of the patients were interested in obtaining information on their health condition, with regard to whether they had cancer (95%), the chances of recovery (89%), and the side effects during treatment (94%). Younger patients tended to show more interest in obtaining information than the elderly. The Self-Reporting Questionnaire classified 25.8% of the sample as a probable psychiatric case, but no correlation was found between Self-Reporting Questionnaire scores and patients' desires for medical information.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of patients wished to be informed about their illness condition, and no correlation was found between psychiatric morbidity and desire for information.
Pinto
Renata Novaes
RN
Dept. of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil. rnovaes@psiquiatria.epm.br
Chaves
Ana Cristina
AC
Lourenço
Maria Theresa
MT
Mari
Jair de Jesus
Jde J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D028701:Patient Rights / Q000941:ethics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents