Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Prognostic awareness and the terminally ill.

H M Chochinov1, D J Tataryn, K G Wilson

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.

Psychosomatics
|December 8, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Many terminally ill cancer patients lack prognostic awareness. This unawareness is linked to higher depression rates and psychological distress, suggesting a need for better end-of-life communication.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Intrauterine Contraception Device Satisfaction and Continuation in an Urban Youth Clinic in British Columbia, Canada: A Longitudinal Survey Study.

Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obstetrique et gynecologie du Canada : JOGC·2025
Same author

Amivantamab plus lazertinib versus osimertinib in first-line EGFR-mutant advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with biomarkers of high-risk disease: a secondary analysis from MARIPOSA.

Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·2024
Same author

Adult North Star Network (ANSN): Consensus Document for Therapists Working with Adults with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) - Therapy Guidelines.

Journal of neuromuscular diseases·2022
Same author

Colonoscopy skills improvement training improves patient comfort during colonoscopy.

Surgical endoscopy·2021
Same author

Knowing about you: eliciting dimensions of personhood within tuberculosis care.

The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease·2017
Same author

The modulatory effects of WE-14 on histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells.

Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.]·2016

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Psychology
  • Palliative Care

Background:

  • Understanding a patient's awareness of their terminal prognosis is crucial in end-of-life care.
  • Prognostic awareness influences patient decision-making and psychological well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the level of prognostic awareness in advanced cancer patients nearing the end of life.
  • To explore the relationship between prognostic awareness, depression, and demographic factors.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 200 advanced cancer patients (mean age 71.0 years) in their final weeks of life.
  • Utilized semistructured interviews to assess prognostic awareness (No, Partial, Complete) and depressive disorders.
  • Collected demographic and social support data.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • 73.5% of patients had complete awareness of their prognosis, 17% had partial awareness, and 9.5% denied awareness.
  • Depression was significantly higher (nearly three times) in patients lacking prognostic awareness (P = 0.029).
  • Lower prognostic awareness was associated with male gender, older age, and intense social contact.

Conclusions:

  • Dying patients exhibit varying capacities to acknowledge their prognosis.
  • Prognostic disavowal is often associated with psychological distress and emotional turmoil.
  • These findings highlight the importance of addressing psychological factors in end-of-life care and communication.