title: Feelings, perceptions, and expectations of patients during the process of oral cancer diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Communication barriers during the process of cancer diagnosis can adversely affect how patients understand their health, and understanding patient's perceptions and expectations can favor adherence to professional recommendations and their prognosis. This study aimed to describe the sociodemographic characteristics, perceptions, expectations, and psychological symptoms of patients during the process of oral cancer diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were assessed at two time points: pre-biopsy (T0) and post-diagnosis (T1). At T0, 49 patients answered a sociodemographic, perceived social support, lifestyle questionnaire and inventories (anxiety-State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S/T), depression-Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), risk drinkers-Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)). They also were interviewed concerning their perceptions, feelings, and expectations. At T1, the 29 patients diagnosed with oral cancer were reassessed for anxiety (STAI-E) and depression symptoms. An interview investigated the same aspects at T0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient mean age was 59 years old (±13.7) and 73.5 % were men. At T0, depression symptoms were more frequent among cancer patients (83.3 %) than those without the disease (p < 0.05), with a prevalence of 36.7 %. Patients presented anxiety (40.8 %) and alcohol abuse behavior (32.6 %). Associations between characteristics and categories at T0 showed that patients with lower income and living with a partner reported negative feelings (p < 0.05) more frequently, together with negative expectations concerning the diagnosis among older patients (p < 0.05) and those with depressive symptoms (p < 0.05). At T1, negative feelings were more frequently reported among patients with anxiety (p < 0.01) and depression symptoms (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Professional support and care regarding the psychological aspects and characteristics of patients is required during the diagnosis process in order to promote patient adhesion and favorable prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil. kmendesgra@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: K M
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7176-5778
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Graner
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Health/Applied Psychology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Governador Valadares, Brazil.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Rolim
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Dentistry, Area of Applied Psychology, Piracicaba Dental School (FOP), State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: A B A
authors.initials: ABA
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.affiliation: Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Padovani
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Area of Semiology, Piracicaba Dental School (FOP), State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Area of Semiology, Piracicaba Dental School (FOP), State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Santos-Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology Psychology and Psychiatry, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil.
authors.forename: A T A
authors.initials: ATA
authors.lastname: Ramos-Cerqueira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D011379:Prognosis; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Diagnosis communication; Expectations; Perceptions