Patients' reports of barriers to expressing concerns during cancer consultations. 2015

Kim Brandes, and Annemiek J Linn, and Edith G Smit, and Julia C M van Weert
Amsterdam School of Communication Research/ASCoR, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: k.brandes@uva.nl.

OBJECTIVE To identify cancer patients' most influential barriers to expressing concerns during cancer consultations in a new manner by examining patients' reports of perceived barriers and perceived occurrence of barriers in consultations. METHODS Two online focus groups (N=16) and an online survey (N=236) were conducted among cancer patients and cancer survivors. The online focus groups and survey were used to examine two elements of patients' barriers, i.e., patients' reports of perceived barriers and perceived occurrence of barriers in consultations. Composite scores of these two elements were calculated to determine influential barriers. RESULTS Results showed that the most influential barriers were related to providers' behavior (e.g., providers do not explicitly invite patients to express concerns) and the environment where the consultation takes place (e.g., perceived lack of time). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study indicate that influential barriers to expressing concerns are barriers that patients cannot overcome themselves (i.e., they are related to providers' behavior or the environment of the consultation). A collaborative approach between researchers, providers and policy makers is needed to overcome these barriers. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study can be used to develop strategies to overcome barriers to patients expressing concerns.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009369 Neoplasms New abnormal growth of tissue. Malignant neoplasms show a greater degree of anaplasia and have the properties of invasion and metastasis, compared to benign neoplasms. Benign Neoplasm,Cancer,Malignant Neoplasm,Tumor,Tumors,Benign Neoplasms,Malignancy,Malignant Neoplasms,Neoplasia,Neoplasm,Neoplasms, Benign,Cancers,Malignancies,Neoplasias,Neoplasm, Benign,Neoplasm, Malignant,Neoplasms, Malignant
D010465 Perception The process by which the nature and meaning of sensory stimuli are recognized and interpreted. Sensory Processing,Processing, Sensory
D010817 Physician-Patient Relations The interactions between physician and patient. Doctor-Patient Relations,Doctor Patient Relations,Physician Patient Relations,Physician Patient Relationship,Doctor Patient Relation,Doctor-Patient Relation,Physician Patient Relation,Physician Patient Relationships,Physician-Patient Relation,Relation, Doctor Patient,Relation, Doctor-Patient,Relation, Physician Patient,Relation, Physician-Patient,Relations, Doctor Patient,Relations, Doctor-Patient,Relations, Physician Patient,Relations, Physician-Patient,Relationship, Physician Patient,Relationships, Physician Patient
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D012017 Referral and Consultation The practice of sending a patient to another program or practitioner for services or advice which the referring source is not prepared to provide. Consultation,Gatekeepers, Health Service,Hospital Referral,Second Opinion,Consultation and Referral,Health Service Gatekeepers,Hospital Referrals,Referral,Referral, Hospital,Referrals, Hospital,Consultations,Gatekeeper, Health Service,Health Service Gatekeeper,Opinion, Second,Opinions, Second,Referrals,Second Opinions
D003142 Communication The exchange or transmission of ideas, attitudes, or beliefs between individuals or groups. Miscommunication,Misinformation,Social Communication,Communication Programs,Communications Personnel,Personal Communication,Communication Program,Communication, Personal,Communication, Social,Communications, Social,Miscommunications,Misinformations,Personnel, Communications,Program, Communication,Programs, Communication,Social Communications
D003144 Communication Barriers Those factors, such as language or sociocultural relationships, which interfere in the meaningful interpretation and transmission of ideas between individuals or groups. Language Barriers,Barrier, Communication,Barrier, Language,Barriers, Communication,Barriers, Language,Communication Barrier,Language Barrier
D005260 Female Females

Related Publications

Kim Brandes, and Annemiek J Linn, and Edith G Smit, and Julia C M van Weert
May 2024, Health communication,
Kim Brandes, and Annemiek J Linn, and Edith G Smit, and Julia C M van Weert
September 2022, Journal of health psychology,
Kim Brandes, and Annemiek J Linn, and Edith G Smit, and Julia C M van Weert
September 2021, BMJ open,
Kim Brandes, and Annemiek J Linn, and Edith G Smit, and Julia C M van Weert
July 2021, European journal of cancer care,
Kim Brandes, and Annemiek J Linn, and Edith G Smit, and Julia C M van Weert
December 2019, BMJ open,
Kim Brandes, and Annemiek J Linn, and Edith G Smit, and Julia C M van Weert
November 2019, International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology,
Kim Brandes, and Annemiek J Linn, and Edith G Smit, and Julia C M van Weert
July 2014, Psycho-oncology,
Kim Brandes, and Annemiek J Linn, and Edith G Smit, and Julia C M van Weert
June 2005, Critical care medicine,
Kim Brandes, and Annemiek J Linn, and Edith G Smit, and Julia C M van Weert
January 2013, PloS one,
Kim Brandes, and Annemiek J Linn, and Edith G Smit, and Julia C M van Weert
May 2007, Psychological bulletin,
Copied contents to your clipboard!