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Cancer patients' knowledge of their diagnoses
1Department of Medical Education and Research, Veterans General Hospital-Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan Yi Zhi
|August 1, 1996
Summary
Many cancer patients in Taiwan are not informed of their diagnosis, with only 37.2% aware. Patient demographics and disease factors influence cancer diagnosis disclosure.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Medical Ethics
- Health Disparities
Background:
- Disclosure of cancer diagnosis is a significant ethical concern in patient care.
- Understanding patient awareness of their diagnosis is crucial for informed decision-making and treatment adherence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the extent of cancer patients' knowledge of their diagnosis.
- To identify patient characteristics associated with awareness of their cancer diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted with 964 cancer patients at Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei.
- Data collected between July 1992 and December 1993.
- Multivariate analyses were used to determine factors associated with diagnosis awareness.
Main Results:
- Only 37.2% of patients knew their cancer diagnosis; many believed they had benign or other non-cancerous conditions.
- Factors associated with higher awareness included younger age, higher education, family socioeconomic status, specific cancer sites (genital, head/neck), disfiguring treatments, multiple lesions, good prognosis cancers, and aggressive treatment.
- Diagnosis concealment was prevalent in Taiwan during the study period.
Conclusions:
- Concealing cancer diagnoses from patients remains common in Taiwan.
- Sociodemographic background and disease-related factors significantly influence a patient's knowledge of their cancer diagnosis.
- Further research is needed to explore culturally sensitive approaches to cancer diagnosis disclosure.