Information-sharing and Treatment Proposal in Breast Cancer Consultations

• In Event: 564 - Section on Ethnomethodology and Conversational Analysis Paper Session. Studies of Healthcare Work

Abstract

In this paper we explore what kind of activities the doctor and the patient engage in when a treatment is proposed to the patient in the context of breast cancer consultations. The data consists of 22 video-recorded and transcribed cancer consultations. Another data collection is in progress in another hospital and it will be used for comparison.
In the analysis we outline the different activities involved in the doctor's treatment proposal. These include diagnostic classification, highlighting of relevant information, presentation of treatment, advising, assessment of risks, costs and benefits. We argue that such a multi-activity project of information sharing is the “real business” of the encounter, in which the doctor gives to the patient access to his knowledge and to his interpretative practices. It this activity, even if carried out by a doctor, we can see how the patient participate in the treatment choice.

Authors

• Francesca Alby, University of Rome

• Mattia Baruzzo, Sapienza University of Rome

• Marilena Fatigante, Sapienza University of Rome

• Cristina Zucchermaglio, Sapienza University of Rome