The Impact of Inadequate Knowledge on Patient and Spouse Experience of Prostate Cancer

Abstract

The aim of this study is to describe the impact of patient knowledge and awareness of prostate cancer on their medical process from initial symptom detection to post treatment. Although research is gradually increasing in relation to prostate cancer, limited attention has been paid to the impact of inadequate knowledge on patient and spouse experience of the medical process despite the often complex and varied nature of the disease trajectory, treatment, and outcomes. An in-depth focus group design that incorporates open-structured questions was used to identify the attitudes and experiences of a sample of 12 prostate cancer patients and spouses. The findings of this study show that inadequacies in patient and spouse knowledge and awareness of prostate cancer contributed to delayed contact, shock at diagnosis, preferences regarding decision making, health judgments, including the use of the Prostate Specific Antigen test and physical well-being as accurate health indicators, and patient coping, incorporating the use of comparison with other patients. In conclusion, hospital staff, in particular the consultant and cancer nurse specialist, must be aware of the potential for inadequacy in patient and spouse knowledge and counter this through the provision of accurate and relevant information and support throughout the medical process. A series of recommendations have been generated.

Psychosocial interventions to improve quality of life in prostate cancer survivors and their intimate or family partners

“…The efficacy of the HEAC for this sample of prostate cancer survivors and their partners is consistent with studies demonstrating a connection between unmet informational needs or distorted perceptions of cancer and effective adjustment [39, 40]. Lack of information and distorted perceptions of cancer can impede effective contact with and utilization of health care services, and can exaggerate psychological distress among men with prostate cancer, even when they are 18 months beyond completion of treatment [40].…”

“…Two prominent areas of need for prostate cancer survivors and their partners are (1) maintenance of psychosocial well-being, such as minimizing psychological distress and improving interpersonal functioning [38], and (2) meeting informational needs for increased understanding of the illness and its effects [39, 40]. Interventions that target the psychological distress and provide information to increase knowledge about cancer can help the survivor to decrease the uncertainty and related psychological distress during the cancer experience [41].…”

Patient experiences at diagnosis and psychological well-being in prostate cancer: A Finnish national survey

“…Experiences of prostate cancer patients have mainly been investigated in qualitative studies (Denberg et al, 2006;Docherty et al, 2007;Green et al, 2011;Illingworth et al, 2010;Milne et al, 2008;Oliffe, 2006;Shaha et al, 2008;Walsh and Hegarty, 2010;Yu Ko and Degner, 2008). Quantitative studies on QOL have generally been conducted in clinical samples of patients receiving certain treatment(s), and have mainly focused on the physical side effects of treatment (Frank et al, 2007;Pardo et al, 2010;Penson et al, 2008a;Potosky et al, 2004).…”

Impact of PSA testing and prostatic biopsy on cancer incidence and mortality: comparative study between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

“…Recent surveys in the UK, NI and the RoI suggest that greater disease awareness among the public and health professionals is another factor that may have contributed to decreasing mortality [35][36][37]. For instance, greater awareness of prostate cancer may have led to more systematic PSA testing in men presenting with urinary symptoms or to increasing demand for PSA testing by men with a family history of prostate cancer.…”