Disclosing the cancer diagnosis: what contributes to patient satisfaction?
BACKGROUND
Despite the growing attention to the how, when and where of disclosing a cancer diagnosis, not all patients are satisfied with how the news is broken to them. As in German-speaking countries there is a lack of empirical studies on this subject, this analysis was conducted to determine how the cancer diagnosis was given in a German sample, and how satisfied the patients are with the disclosure experience.


METHODS
162 outpatients received a self-report questionnaire focusing on their experiences with physician-patient communication when the diagnosis was disclosed.


RESULTS
Guidelines had been respected in most cases. 17% of patients were dissatisfied with the diagnosis disclosure. They reported a significantly shorter duration of the interaction, lack of privacy, deficits in understanding the information, and less emotional support by the physician.


CONCLUSIONS
Adherence to guidelines of diagnosis disclosure in the German sample was fairly high. Respecting both informational and emotional needs is essential for patient satisfaction and can be taught in communication training.
Geiser
Franziska
F
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie der Universität Bonn, Germany. franziska.geiser@ukb.uni-bonn.de
Bijani
Jasmin
J
Imbierowicz
Katrin
K
Conrad
Rupert
R
Liedtke
Reinhard
R
Schild
Hans
H
Schüller
Heinrich
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003142:Communication; D030881:Disclosure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations