Communication between patients with breast cancer and health care providers. Determinants and implications.

Lerman, Caryn; Daly, Mary B.; Walsh, WP; Resch, Nancy L.; Seay, Janet; Birenbaum, Linda K.; Heggan, Tracy; Martin, G K

doi:10.1097/01893697-199412020-00035

Cited by 40 publications

(59 citation statements)

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“…These three barriers have been found in previous research that identified the importance of communication about symptom management in improving patients' quality of life,15, 16, 33 but have not previously been examined with structured measures or in the same study. Previous studies have suggested that the optimal care for older adults should be based on a concrete assessment of both physical health and psychological status, and include beliefs, expectations for intervention, and the relationship with the provider 5, 6.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Effect of Perceived Barriers to Symptom Management on Quality of Life in Older Breast Cancer Survivors

Yeom

Heidrich²

2009

Cancer Nursing

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Negative attitudes about aging of both older adults and health care providers can be barriers to self care in old age. The aims of this study were 1) to examine the extent to which older breast cancer survivors experience barriers to symptom management, and 2) to explore whether barriers influence quality of life. Three possible barriers to symptom management were examined: negative beliefs about managing symptoms, perceived negative attitudes of health care providers, and difficulties in communicating about symptoms. This study was a secondary analysis of pooled baseline data from 61 older (age > 64) women who participated in two pilot studies that tested a symptom management intervention for older breast cancer survivors. The most frequent barrier reported was difficulties in communicating about symptoms with health care providers. Each of the barriers affected psychosocial, but not physical, quality of life. Barriers to symptom management may lead to poorer self care of symptoms that can result in lower levels of psychosocial quality of life. Health care providers need to encourage older cancer survivors to report symptoms and worries related to their cancer diagnosis and should be cautious in expressing attitudes that could reinforce older adults' negative perceptions about aging. IntroductionAge is one of the most influential risk factors in breast cancer. 1, 2 Women aged 65 years and older comprise approximately 50% of the population newly diagnosed with breast cancer, and the 5-year survival rate after a breast cancer diagnosis in women aged over 50 is as high as 84%. 3 In spite of the high survival rate, experiencing and managing cancer in old age can be stressful because of age-related health declines, including multiple and often chronic symptoms, late effects of cancer treatments, and comorbidities. 4,5 Cancer often leaves numerous physical health sequelae that persist for decades despite successful treatments. 4 In addition, whether or not cancer survivors experience symptoms, they suffer from worries about a cancer recurrence and anxiety about an unknown future. 6 Accordingly, experiencing physical symptoms may aggravate psychological distress. Thus, effective management of multiple, often chronic, and comorbid symptoms is crucial in enhancing quality of life of older cancer survivors.However, older cancer survivors are faced with barriers to effective and active symptom management, some of which are rooted in negative beliefs about aging. Self-stereotypes about aging are negative attitudes about aging that older people apply to themselves that can influence their behaviors. 7 Ageist stereotypes on the part of health care providers may also influence older persons' behavior. These different sources of stereotypes about aging can influence older adults' beliefs about managing symptoms, their perceptions of negative attitudes about aging from their health care providers, and their communication about symptoms with HCPs. All three may function as barriers that prevent older adults from effectively mana...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Effect of Perceived Barriers to Symptom Management on Quality of Life in Older Breast Cancer Survivors

Yeom

Heidrich²

2009

Cancer Nursing

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“…A third goal is to minimize the distress patients experience as a result of hearing bad news. Bad news can be emotionally overwhelming to patients, and health professionals can exacerbate this distress by giving the news poorly 20 . Reducing patient distress is thus an important goal, albeit one that is particularly challenging for numerous reasons [e.g.…”

Section: Multiple Goals For Bad News Communicationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The goals of communicating bad news in health care: do physicians and patients agree?

Sweeny

Shepperd

Han

2011

Health Expectations

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“…In accordance with our findings, women in the Australian studies felt that reliable information would allow them to determine what is normal and what to expect, thus preparing them for the menopause. Previous studies have shown that well-informed people are better able to make decisions about their treatment options and cope better with symptoms or an illness 35 . Health-care providers do not always provide enough helpful information.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The menopause ‘It's somewhere between a taboo and a joke’. A focus group study

2011

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Although having good social support in general, some respondents felt less supported about the menopause and felt that improved support networks would diminish some of the confusion about symptoms experienced and management strategies available. In spite of the negative publicity surrounding HRT in recent years, a number of women perceived their family doctor as too restrictive when prescribing HRT.

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Communication between patients with breast cancer and health care providers. Determinants and implications.

Cited by 40 publications

References 0 publications

Effect of Perceived Barriers to Symptom Management on Quality of Life in Older Breast Cancer Survivors

Effect of Perceived Barriers to Symptom Management on Quality of Life in Older Breast Cancer Survivors

The goals of communicating bad news in health care: do physicians and patients agree?

The menopause ‘It's somewhere between a taboo and a joke’. A focus group study

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