title: The information needs of new radiotherapy patients: how to measure? Do they want to know everything? And if not, why?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish 1) further psychometric properties of the information preference for radiotherapy patients scale (IPRP); 2) what information new radiotherapy patients want to receive; 3) which patients have a lower information need.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible patients (n = 159; response rate 54%) of 15 radiation oncologists completed the IPRP and provided background characteristics before their first radiotherapy consultation. Exclusion criteria were: age <18 years, having undergone radiotherapy before, unable to read and write Dutch, cognitive problems or a brain tumor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reliability (Cronbach's alpha 0.84-0.97) and concurrent validity (r from .39 to .57, p < 0.001) of the subscales of the IPRP were good. New radiotherapy patients want extensive information about their disease, treatment, procedures, side effects, and prognosis (mean scores between 4.1 and 4.4 on a scale from 1 to 5) but less information about psychosocial issues (mean = 3.4). Patients who are older and male, have lung or rectal cancer, more difficulty understanding and a higher trait anxiety level, need less information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The IPRP can reliably and validly address information needs of patients undergoing radiation treatment. Most new radiotherapy patients want much information. Yet, information giving should be tailored according to their background, understanding and anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maaike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeguers
authors.forename: Hanneke C J M
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: de Haes
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Zandbelt
authors.forename: Claartje L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ter Hoeven
authors.forename: Sanne J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Franssen
authors.forename: Debbie D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Geijsen
authors.forename: Caro C E
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Koning
authors.forename: Ellen M A
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Smets
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009426:Netherlands; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018579:Patient Selection; D011594:Psychometrics; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D055815:Young Adult