Patients' attitude towards concept of right to know

To ascertain patients' attitude towards concept of right to know about Terminal cancer.

Questionnaire was constructed that included demographic and clinical information distributed to 500 OPD patients and interviewed them at Patan Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal.

500 OPD patients completed questionnaire along with interview. 63.4% of patients wanted to know diagnosis, 41.2% wanted to know about prognosis and 13% wanted to make own end of life decision-making about the terminal cancer. Similarly, 89% of patients wanted to tell diagnosis to their family members and 83% wanted to tell prognosis. The view for disclosure rate is different when one is as patient and as family member (63.4% versus 34.4%). Elderly people are more likely to know the prognosis and educated and Brahmin people are more likely to make their own end of life decision-making.

Findings of the study indicated that most patients want to be informed about their terminal illness. Physicians should realize that patients and family units might differ in their attitude therefore; truth telling should depend on what the patients want to know and are prepared to know.