J Palliat Med. 2012 Jul 25. [Epub ahead of print]
Breaking Bad News in a Southeast European Population: A Survey among Cancer Patients in Albania.
Source
1 Department of Surgery, University Hospital Center "Mother Teresa," Tirana, Albania .
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes of cancer patients, their family, and community members in Albania, a post-communist country in Southeast Europe, regarding breaking bad news.
Methods: One hundred and fifty consecutive cancer patients, 150 respective relatives, and an age-sex-residence matched sample of 150 individuals in Tirana district were interviewed from September 2009-January 2010 about attitudes related to diagnosis disclosure. Logistic regression was used to assess the association of diagnosis disclosure with demographic characteristics.
Results: Community members were the most in favor, whereas the patients' relatives were the least in favor of diagnosis disclosure. Most of the patients, who were aware of their diagnosis, were not satisfied with the disclosure approach employed by the medical staff. The odds of favoring diagnosis disclosure were significantly higher among younger, male, urban, and more educated patients.
Conclusion: This survey identified important characteristics of cancer patients, their relatives, and a community-based sample in Albania that could predict the willingness to disclose a fatal diagnosis. Establishment of a formal training of health professionals regarding breaking bad news should be considered in order to ensure a proper approach of communicating diagnosis to cancer patients in transitional Albania.
I'm really surprised about this study.
ReplyDeleteGuess what? Not about the results, not at all. But, I didn't new that such studies exists. Wow! I'm surprised that people are concerned even about the approach of communicating breaking bad news.
A little bit ironic on this, because there are more important things to be concerned of in the albanian health system. Like i.e the fact that doctor's viewpoint about patients is like phishing a possible client to get money out of him. They can even tell you they suspect about 'a bad thing' so you have to make a lot of tests, even MRI after 1-2 appointments with the doctor. And you know what? For the MRI in the University Hospital Center "Mother Teresa" in Tirane have to wait up to 2 month for an appointment, so they encourage you to go and pay at a private clinic for this.
Sorry guys, can't explain exactly what situation we are facing here about doctors, clinics and hospitals.
Please, if you can do something, please help!
There's a saying here: vow to you, if need to go in hospital or a court!
Heeeeeelp!!!!