Sources of Palliative Care Knowledge Among Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Gynecologic Cancer

A minority of patients with advanced or metastatic gynecologic cancer utilize palliative care and lack of knowledge may be a barrier to receiving palliative care services.

To identify sources used by patients with advanced or metastatic gynecologic cancer to learn about palliative care and evaluate for differences in knowledge about palliative care and palliative care utilization by knowledge source.

Patients with gynecologic cancer receiving treatment for advanced or metastatic gynecologic cancer at a single academic medical center were surveyed about their awareness of and knowledge about palliative care. Medical chart review was conducted.

Of the 111 women surveyed, 70 had heard of palliative care (63%). Sixty-eight specified from where they learned of palliative care: cancer care (n = 28; 41.2%), word of mouth (n = 26; 38.2%), work (n = 6; 8.8%), self-education (n = 4; 5.9%), personal experience (n = 2; 2.9%), or do not know (n = 2; 2.9%). Knowledge about palliative care (P = 0.35) and palliative care utilization (P = 0.81) did not differ by awareness of palliative care.

Most women receiving treatment for advanced gynecologic cancer have heard of palliative care from sources other than their cancer care providers. Knowledge about palliative care and source of knowledge about palliative care were not associated with palliative care utilization. Awareness of palliative care and palliative care utilization may be improved by increasing the low rate of health provider-based education and engaging cancer patients' social networks.