Quality of Life in Chinese Home-Based Advanced Cancer Patients: Does Awareness of Cancer Diagnosis Matter?

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life (QOL) of Chinese home-based advanced-stage cancer patients and to evaluate the association between the disclosure of cancer diagnosis and QOL. An interview-based survey was conducted from December 2009 to June 2010 in the home-based hospice of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China. The principal finding of this study demonstrated that patients who did not have knowledge of their diagnosis exhibited better physical and emotional QOL compared with those who had knowledge of their diagnosis.

Patient and family involvement in decision making for management of cancer patients at a centre in Singapore

“…Recent studies in the East Asian setting have shown that patients who are not involved in decision making have a better quality of life 12 38. The interview based study conducted on Chinese home based advanced stage cancer patients showed that patients who did not know their diagnosis had a better physical and emotional quality of life 12.…”

“…The interview based study conducted on Chinese home based advanced stage cancer patients showed that patients who did not know their diagnosis had a better physical and emotional quality of life 12. In a Korean survey of terminal cancer patients, those who were aware of their illness and who actively participated in decision making had lower scores in ‘physical and psychological comfort’, ‘environment comfort’ and ‘emotional functioning’.…”

“…The prominence of familial influence in healthcare decision making commonly trumps the patient's own preferences and appears to increase with the gravity of the decision. Thus in many end of life decisions, the family primarily steers the course of medical care 12 13. This situation is compounded by collusion where the relatives agree to limit the medical information being given to the patient, fearing that such knowledge would extinguish hope and cause the patient distress 14.…”

Cancer physicians’ attitude towards treatment of the elderly cancer patient in a developed Asian country

“…Some physicians may argue that withholding the diagnosis from elderly patients who do not wish to be told is a compassionate option that respects the patient’s wishes. Interestingly, two recent studies [35,36] showed that in patients with advanced cancer, there was in fact better emotional and quality of life with lack of awareness in patients. However, for patients who wish to know, it will be unethical to withhold the diagnosis.…”

Nurses' experiences and attitudes toward diagnosis disclosure for cancer patients in China: A qualitative study

“…In most Eastern countries, there is still a significant percentage of cancer patients who are not informed of their cancer diagnoses . In China, previous studies have found that diagnoses were disclosed for 35.8% to 50.3% of cancer patients . The reason may be cultural differences.…”