title: Patients' Trust in Physician, Patient Enablement, and Health-Related Quality of Life During Colon Cancer Treatment.
abstract: In cancer care, where patients and their families experience significant emotional distress and patients have to deal with complex medical information, patient centeredness is an important aspect of quality of care. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of patients' trust in their oncologists and patients' enablement on changes in health-related quality of life of colon cancer patients during follow-up care. We conducted a prospective study in a representative sample of private practices of German oncologists (N = 44). Patients (N = 131) filled out a standardized questionnaire prior to their first consultation (T0), directly after the first consultation (T1) and after two months (T2). Data were analyzed by structural equation modeling. Significant associations were found between trust in physician and changes in physical functioning between T1 and T2, and between trust in physician and patient enablement. Patient enablement is significantly associated with changes in physical functioning between T1 and T2. The results underline the importance of building a close and trustful patient-physician relationship in the oncology encounter. A central mechanism of the association between the quality of the relationship and health outcomes seems to be patient enablement. To enable patients to cope with their situation by making them understand their diagnosis, treatments, and side effects can impact health-related quality of life in physical domains.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Communication and Health Services Research (CHSR), Department for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53127, Bonn, Germany. nicole.ernstmann@ukb.uni-bonn.de.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ernstmann
authors.affiliation: Department for Research Methodology, University of Education, Kunzenweg 21, 79117, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wirtz
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Sociology, Health Services Research and Rehabilitation Science (IMVR), University of Cologne, Eupener Strasse 129, 50933, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Anika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nitzsche
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Sociology, Health Services Research and Rehabilitation Science (IMVR), University of Cologne, Eupener Strasse 129, 50933, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Sophie E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Sociology, Health Services Research and Rehabilitation Science (IMVR), University of Cologne, Eupener Strasse 129, 50933, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ansmann
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Sociology, Health Services Research and Rehabilitation Science (IMVR), University of Cologne, Eupener Strasse 129, 50933, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Tristan D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Gloede
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Sociology, Health Services Research and Rehabilitation Science (IMVR), University of Cologne, Eupener Strasse 129, 50933, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Sociology, Health Services Research and Rehabilitation Science (IMVR), University of Cologne, Eupener Strasse 129, 50933, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pfaff
authors.affiliation: Scientific Institute of Office-Based Haematologists and Oncologists, WINHO , Vor den Siebenburgen 2, 50676, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.affiliation: Professional Organization of Office-Based Haematologists and Oncologists e.V. (BNHO), Sachsenring 69, 50677, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.affiliation: Institute for Integrative Medicine, Department for Psychology/Psychotherapy, Department for Medicine, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, 58313, Herdecke, Germany.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neumann
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072103:Oncologists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035502:Trust
keywords: Colon cancer; Communication; Enablement; Patient reported outcomes; Trust