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Communicating About Stopping Cancer Screening: Comparing Clinicians' and Older Adults' Perspectives
Nancy L Schoenborn1, Cynthia M Boyd1, Sei J Lee2
1Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
The Gerontologist
|May 18, 2019
Summary
Clinicians and older adults agree on discussing cancer screening benefits, risks, and shifting health priorities. However, clinicians worry about patient reactions, while older adults are divided on discussing life expectancy.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Oncology
- Health Communication
Background:
- Older adults with limited life expectancy often undergo cancer screening.
- There is a need to understand communication strategies for discontinuing cancer screening in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare perspectives of clinicians and older adults on communicating about stopping cancer screening.
- To identify effective communication strategies for cancer screening cessation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from two studies involving semistructured interviews.
- Interviewed 28 primary care clinicians and 40 community-dwelling older adults.
Main Results:
- Consensus exists on discussing screening benefits/risks and involving patients.
- Clinicians expressed concern over patient reactions, while older adults reported no negative reactions in trusting relationships.
- Disagreement noted on discussing life expectancy, with clinicians rarely doing so and older adults divided.
Conclusions:
- Tailor discussions on stopping cancer screening to individual patient preferences regarding life expectancy.
- Focusing on benefits/risks and shifting health priorities are effective communication strategies for both groups.