Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2005 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings.
Vol 23, No 16S (June 1 Supplement), 2005: 8220
© 2005 American Society of Clinical Oncology

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Abstract

Telling or not telling the cancer diagnosis: Opinions of companions of Turkish patients and influencial factors

B. Oksuzoglu, H. Abali, N. Yldrm, M. Bakar and N. Zengin

Ankara Numune Eitim ve Aratrma H, Ankara, Turkey

8220

Background: In routine oncological practice, we frequently come across with many Turkish people asking not to tell the diagnosis to their patients and it is believed to be the main tendency by oncologists. Our aim was to investigate the opinions and influencial factors of companions on telling or not telling the exact diagnosis (TONTD) at a large state hospital. Methods: From September through October 2004, we handed out a questionnaire to the persons who accompanied cancer patients during their chemotherapy sessions in our outpatient clinic. Results: A total of 164 companions, median age of 40 years (15–73), were given the questionnaire, of whom 64 (39.0%) were male, and 100 (61.0%) were female. Eighty-eight (54.3%) companions were first-degree relatives, 33 (20.4%) were husbands/wives. Median time elapsed from the diagnosis of cancer was 4 months (1–165). Ninety-one (56.9%) companions chose to inform the patients about the correct diagnosis. Tendency to tell the diagnosis to companions was higher (144, 90%). Of 49 individuals preferring not to tell to the patient, 41 (83.6%) agreed that diagnosis must be told only to companions. Most (91.9%) believed that patients’ own physician must inform the patient, and immediately after the diagnosis is certain (53.8%). Companions with higher educational status and those under the cover of health insurance agreed more to tell the correct diagnosis to the patients in univariate analyses (p=0.0001 and p=0.05, respectively). Age, sex, being close relatives, monthly income, time period after the diagnosis of cancer did not have any impact on TONTD. Higher education, high monthly income, and having health insurance positively affected the decision of telling the diagnosis to companions in univariate analyses (p=0.001, p=0.006, and p=0.07, respectively). Age, sex, being close relative, time period after diagnosis of cancer did not have any impact on TONTD to the relatives (p>0.05). Conclusions: On the contrary to the common belief, more than half of Turkish companions supported informing the cancer patients correctly. Higher socio-economical status positively affected this tendency.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.