title: Do patients' information needs decrease over the course of radiotherapy?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate if cancer patients' information needs decrease during radiotherapy and if so, which patient, consultation and radiation oncologist characteristics are associated with a decrease in information needs over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this longitudinal study, patients (n = 104) completed a baseline questionnaire a week before the initial radiotherapy consultation, immediately following this initial consultation, and 1 week prior to the first follow-up visit, which took place on average 3-5 weeks after the initial visit. Besides information needs, measured by the Information Preference for Radiotherapy Patients scale, the questionnaire assessed patient, consultation and radiation oncologist characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Information needs decreased over time, but remained at a high level. Being religious, being male, having low health literacy and higher perceived involvement during the consultation were all statistically significantly associated to a decrease in information needs on specific domains (e.g. procedures or side effects).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cancer patients' information needs decline between the initial consultation and the first follow-up visit, but remain high. It is therefore advised to investigate the patients' information needs at every radiotherapy visit and not rely on giving information just once. Furthermore, radiation oncologists should check if the information given at first consultation is understood and remembered. By those means, tailored information giving becomes possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. K.F.Douma@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: Kirsten F L
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Douma
authors.forename: Caro C E
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Koning
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Zandbelt
authors.forename: Hanneke C J M
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: de Haes
authors.forename: Ellen M A
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Smets
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D022126:Access to Information; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011878:Radiotherapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
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