title: Characteristics associated with empathic behavior in Japanese oncologists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oncologists must have empathy when breaking bad news to patients who have incurable advanced cancer, and the level of empathy often depends on various individual characteristics. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between these characteristics and empathic behavior in Japanese oncologists.
  
  
  METHODS
  We videotaped consultations in which oncologists conveyed news of incurable advanced cancer to simulated patients. Oncologists' empathetic behaviors were coded, and regression analysis was performed to determine the existence of any relationships with factors such as age, sex, and specialism.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty oncologists participated. In a multivariate model, only age was related to the empathy score (r=0.406, p=0.033); younger oncologists scored higher than did older oncologists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that empathic behaviors were more frequent in younger oncologists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This information could be useful in determining the best approach for implementing future empathy and communication training programs for experienced oncologists in Japanese medical institutions.
authors.affiliation: Psycho-Oncology Division, Research Center for Innovative Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan; Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Maiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujimori
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Asao
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hizawa
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchitomi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D014743:Videotape Recording
keywords: Bad news; Cancer; Communication; Empathy; Interpersonal relationship