[The quality of preoperative information to head and neck cancer patients: a qualitative study]

Patients with head and neck cancer have complex long-lasting physical and psychosocial needs due to illness and treatment, and studies have shown deficiencies concerning support received.

To explore how satisfied head and neck cancer patients were with information provided about their illness and treatment, to identify areas of improvement.

Patients were interviewed about their experience, focusing on informational support received, involvement of relatives, and their satisfaction with information before and after the surgery. Interviews were tape recorded and transcribed and relevant meanings identified.

Thirty patients were interviewed. Patients were generally satisfied with information, however they report the difficulty of understanding what is happening to them, and identify a lack of information on side effects of treatments. They appreciate the straightforwardness of information and the involvement of an expert patient. Reactions and preferences vary across patients.

This study confirms the need for tailored information provision and highlights the problems and feelings of patients undergoing head and neck surgery, the impact of the intervention and patient's needs for information prior to treatment.