title: Breaking bad news in a Southeast European population: a survey among cancer patients in Albania.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes of cancer patients, their family, and community members in Albania, a post-communist country in Southeast Europe, regarding breaking bad news.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fifty consecutive cancer patients, 150 respective relatives, and an age-sex-residence matched sample of 150 individuals in Tirana district were interviewed from September 2009-January 2010 about attitudes related to diagnosis disclosure. Logistic regression was used to assess the association of diagnosis disclosure with demographic characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Community members were the most in favor, whereas the patients' relatives were the least in favor of diagnosis disclosure. Most of the patients, who were aware of their diagnosis, were not satisfied with the disclosure approach employed by the medical staff. The odds of favoring diagnosis disclosure were significantly higher among younger, male, urban, and more educated patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey identified important characteristics of cancer patients, their relatives, and a community-based sample in Albania that could predict the willingness to disclose a fatal diagnosis. Establishment of a formal training of health professionals regarding breaking bad news should be considered in order to ensure a proper approach of communicating diagnosis to cancer patients in transitional Albania.
authors: Department of Surgery, University Hospital Center Mother Teresa, Tirana, Albania. arbenbeqiri@hotmail.com
authors: Arben
authors: A
authors: Beqiri
authors: Ervin
authors: E
authors: Toci
authors: Agim
authors: A
authors: Sallaku
authors: Gentiana
authors: G
authors: Qirjako
authors: Genc
authors: G
authors: Burazeri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000415:Albania; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014342:Truth Disclosure