Effectiveness of Communication Skills Training on Cancer Patients' Outcomes: A Case-Control Study in Taiwan

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of communication skill training (CST) from both physicians and patients' perspectives.

This case-control study was conducted at five hospitals across Taiwan using purposive sampling. Physicians were matched by gender, seniority, and department; patients were matched by age, gender, cancer type, and stage. A total of 232 patients were included: 116 in the experimental group (physicians who received CST) and 116 in the control group (physicians without CST). Physicians' truth-telling practices were evaluated immediately after CST using a 70-item questionnaire. Patient emotional distress was assessed 3 months later using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Distress Thermometer.

A statistically significant difference in physicians' truth-telling practices was found between the groups. Physicians in the experimental group demonstrated significantly better truth-telling practices than those in the control group (265.23 ± 26.57 vs. 257.81 ± 29.84, p = 0.047). Three months after receiving bad news, patients in the experimental group had lower levels of depression (5.98 ± 3.80 vs. 7.26 ± 4.90, p = 0.049), anxiety (5.84 ± 3.47 vs. 6.80 ± 4.02, p = 0.030), and emotional distress (3.39 ± 2.60 vs. 4.40 ± 2.97, p = 0.013) compared to those in the control group.

CST can improve physicians' truth-telling practices and reduce emotional distress in cancer patients. Regular CST should be integrated into medical education and in -service training to sustain these skills. Further studies are needed to explore the long-term benefits of CST and its impact on healthcare utilization.