Metastatic Cancer Patients’ and Care-Givers’ Use of an Intervention on Interpersonal Communication Regarding End-of-Life Issues

• In Event: High-Density: 2014 Interpersonal Potpourri

Abstract

Metastatic cancer patients and their care-givers often do not participate as much as they would like to during a consultation. Question Prompt Lists (QPLs) have been used extensively to enhance patients’ and care-givers’ participation. However, it is unknown how patients and care-givers are using QPLs. The objective of this study was to provide insight into how metastatic cancer patients and care-givers use a QPL. Audiotaped consultations and follow-up nurse phone calls of 28 metastatic cancer patients were coded and content analysed. Most patients reported that they used the QPL. Questions asked by patients and care-givers from the QPL were predominately from the prognosis section. Patients and caregivers rarely asked questions literally from the QPL, instead they tailored questions to their disease characteristics and needs. A QPL is an useful tool to stimulate communication on prognosis. However, the effectiveness of tailored communication interventions for metastatic cancer patients should also be examined.

Authors

• Kim Brandes, Amsterdam School of Communication Research/ University of Amsterdam

• Phyllis Butow, U of Sydney

• Annemiek Linn, U of Amsterdam

• Martin Tattersall, Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-based Decision-making/ University of Sydney

• Josephine Clayton, Greenwich Hospital

• Patricia Davidson, U of Technology Sydney

• Jane Young, U of Sydney

• Ronald Epstein, U of Rochester Medical Centre

• Adam Walczak, U of Sydney