Assessment using a questionnaire of patient satisfaction with information on cancer provided by doctors and nurses and other healthcare professionals
Abstract
Aim. Most patients suffering from cancer experience not only medical, but also psychosocial and spiritual problems. Very often patients and their family are lost in the healthcare system and do not know where and from whom to obtain reliable information. The aim of this study was to identify various approaching in seeking information and differences in satisfaction with healthcare, taking into account types of cancer.
Material and method. Two hundred nineteen patients were included to the study (111 patients with solid tumours, median age 62 years and 108 haematological patients, median age 59 years). One third of patients were over 64 year old. There were 53% women and 47% men in the study group. All patients completed a questionnaire specially prepared for this study.
Results. Negative emotions appeared significantly more often in patients with haematological malignancies. Most of the patients were interested in receiving information mainly from doctors (92% of responders) and from nurses (76% of responders). Up to 77% of patients did not seek information from psychologists and psychotherapists. Those interested in searching for information from psychologists were patients experiencing negative emotions. Patients very rarely used the employer/educator and a social worker for obtaining information (7% and 8% responders, respectively). Almost all patients were satisfied with the information received from the doctors and nurses, but only half were satisfied with the information received from the psychologist/psychotherapist and physiotherapist and even fewer (42% of respondents) from patient’s organisations.
Conclusions. Patients are not actively looking for information and support. They also do not know whom to ask. Most frequently they ask professional questions of the doctors and nursing staff. It is recommended to create a multidisciplinary care and support teams at oncology centers, and accurately inform patients about the types of support that they can use. Specialized trainings of individual team members in the skills of good professional contacts with patients are also required.