title: Asking questions during breast cancer consultations: does being alone or being accompanied make a difference?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Companions often accompany patients to cancer consultations. The number of questions asked by patients and companions is an indicator of their active participation. The present study aims to provide first descriptive evidence on the characteristics of unaccompanied and accompanied Italian breast cancer patients that attend the first consultation after surgery and to analyse companions contribution to the type and quantity of questions asked during the consultation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy consultations of female patients with breast cancer were audio taped. Questions were transcribed and coded by content. Companion's questions were also classified in terms of function. Socio-demographic and clinical data, patients' role preference and confidence in decision making measures were gathered for each patient. Post consultation satisfaction with decision and the perceived level of shared decision making were collected either for the patient and the companion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  69% of patients were accompanied, usually by one close family member, either husband or adult child. Non employed or retired patients and those with a preference for passive role in decision making were more likely to be accompanied. Unaccompanied patients and accompanied patients had comparable levels of anxiety, emotional distress and depression and were equally active in asking questions. These levels were far greater than those reported for other cancer patients in the literature. Companions did not increase significantly the number of questions per consultation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accompanied and non accompanied patients differed more in socio-demographic than clinical characteristics. Companions sustained the patient and shared information without reducing the level of patient involvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy. Electronic address: lidia.delpiccolo@univr.it.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Del Piccolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goss
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bottacini
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rigoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mazzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deledda
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ballarin
authors.affiliation: O.U. of Oncology d.O., Ospedale Civile Maggiore, Hospital Trust of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molino
authors.affiliation: O.U. of Oncology d.O., Ospedale Civile Maggiore, Hospital Trust of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fiorio
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Breast cancer; Companion; Decision making; Family; Informal carer; Information needs; Question asking