Overcoming cultural barriers to giving bad news: feasibility of training to promote truth-telling to cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
In many countries, physicians are reluctant to disclose unfavorable medical information to patients with advanced cancer and instead give the bad news to the family.


METHODS
The authors modified standard communication workshops to help Italian senior oncologists overcome cultural, social, and attitudinal barriers to disclosure of diagnosis and prognosis.


RESULTS
Fifty-seven physicians participated; 88% believed the workshops would improve their medical practice. Many pursued further training and organized communication skills programs of their own.


CONCLUSIONS
Communication skills workshops can be modified to meet educational and social norms and help clinicians acquire the interpersonal skills needed for honest communication with patients.
Costantini
Anna
A
Department of Psycho-Oncology, Sant' Andrea Hospital and Second Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Baile
Walter F
WF
Lenzi
Renato
R
Costantini
Massimo
M
Ziparo
Vincenzo
V
Marchetti
Paolo
P
Grassi
Luigi
L
D003144:Communication Barriers; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000193:education*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D014342:Truth Disclosure