title: Perceptions of a patient-staff-caregiver group among inpatients in a radiotherapy unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Coping with cancer and its treatments has significant psychological implications for patients, and hospitalization can lead to emotional distress. Based on a community meeting (CM), a common therapeutic intervention in psychiatric wards, a unique patient-staff-caregiver group is held weekly on the radiotherapy unit of our hospital. The goals are to strengthen patient coping abilities and prompt open communications. The present study aimed at quantitatively estimating the effect of the community meeting by gauging the perceptions with respect to several therapeutic aspects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was developed for patients who participated in CMs during their hospitalization based on four theoretical factors: illness perception, relations with the main caregiver, relations with other participants, and relations with unit staff.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants' general satisfaction with the meetings was found to be positive. The most significant aspect of the meetings, as perceived by participants, was relationships with the staff. Patients born in Israel perceived relationships with other participants more positively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Attentive interaction with medical staff and open communications are highly important for patients and contribute to their general satisfaction with the meetings.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology,Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology,Haifa,Israel.
authors.forename: Inbal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mitnik
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology,Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology,Haifa,Israel.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zalman
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology,Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology,Haifa,Israel.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vorobeichik
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology,Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology,Haifa,Israel.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gurevich-Halevi
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry,Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology,Haifa,Israel.
authors.forename: Liron
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eliasov
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology,Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology,Haifa,Israel.
authors.forename: Doron
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lulav-Grinwald
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology,Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology,Haifa,Israel.
authors.forename: Gil
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bar-Sela
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010465:Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Coping with cancer; Group intervention; Illness perception; Patient–caregiver relationships; Patient–staff relations