When clinicians telling the truth is de facto discouraged, what is the family’s attitude towards disclosing to a relative their cancer diagnosis?

Abstract

Telling the truth to a cancer patient is often de facto discouraged in clinicians. Family members often support nondisclosure, especially when they have experience with a relative who is unaware of the truth. The education level of family members does not appear to influence decisions regarding disclosure. These findings can be helpful in the development of policies and/or programs to assist medical professionals and family members engage in truthful disclosure to a patient who has cancer.

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

“…In many areas of the world, family members have been reported to be an obstacle to CDD to patients by asking medical professionals not to tell the truth . In our former study, family members preferred to hide cancer diagnoses from patients to protect them from perceived emotional harm …”

Impact of disclosure of diagnosis and patient autonomy on quality of life and illness perceptions in Chinese patients with liver cancer

“…Our findings also indicate that patient autonomy was not adequately respected in China because 79 of the patients in our study were unsatisfied with their desire for disclosure/nondisclosure. The main cause for this situation is that the physicians made the decision to disclose according to the wishes of the patients' family, as the family members considered reasons for disclosure/nondisclosure within their own cultural perspectives in China and in many Asian countries . However, the families' perspectives are far from evidence‐based and might be untrue from our study results.…”

Colorectal Cancer Concealment Predicts a Poor Survival: A Retrospective Study

“…To avoid medical risks and reduce reaction, doctors normally have to follow the desire of patients' family to be cancer concealment, leading to patients who can't be effective rehabilitation (Wang et al, 2011;Wang et al, 2013). But according to this research, its conclusion might be a benefit for doctors and patients, even the patient's family who have to change their habitual cognition.…”