TY - JOUR
T1 - Breaking bad news of a breast cancer diagnosis over the telephone
T2 - an emerging trend
AU - McElroy, Jane A.
AU - Proulx, Christine M.
AU - Johnson, La Shaune
AU - Heiden-Rootes, Katie M.
AU - Albright, Emily L.
AU - Smith, Jamie
AU - Brown, Maria T.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2019/3/1
Y1 - 2019/3/1
N2 - Purpose: This study evaluated how breast cancer diagnoses were shared with patients. Methods: Current members of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation’s Army of Women cohort were sent one email with a link to a survey assessing how their breast cancer diagnosis was communicated, a description of their support system during treatment, basic demographic information, and breast cancer diagnosis details. Results: Participants (n = 2896) were more likely to be given their diagnosis over the telephone in more recent years (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.06–1.08). Up until about 10 years ago (1967–2006), breast cancer diagnoses were communicated in person more often than by telephone. Since 2006, more than half of participants learned about their diagnosis over the telephone. From 2015 to 2017, almost 60% of participants learned about their diagnosis over the telephone. Among those who heard the news in person, a steady 40% were alone. Characteristics of those who received the news over the telephone included having identified support members, heterosexual identity, and a diagnosis of in situ breast cancer. Conclusions: Receiving a telephone call about breast cancer diagnosis may be the norm rather than the exception in health care today. Trends in practice, as well as current best practices based primarily on expert opinion, may not provide optimal care for women diagnosed with breast cancer. Patient outcome research to guide future practice, such as the impact of modes of delivery of bad news, is urgently needed to determine appropriate patient-centered approaches for notification of breast cancer diagnoses.
AB - Purpose: This study evaluated how breast cancer diagnoses were shared with patients. Methods: Current members of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation’s Army of Women cohort were sent one email with a link to a survey assessing how their breast cancer diagnosis was communicated, a description of their support system during treatment, basic demographic information, and breast cancer diagnosis details. Results: Participants (n = 2896) were more likely to be given their diagnosis over the telephone in more recent years (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.06–1.08). Up until about 10 years ago (1967–2006), breast cancer diagnoses were communicated in person more often than by telephone. Since 2006, more than half of participants learned about their diagnosis over the telephone. From 2015 to 2017, almost 60% of participants learned about their diagnosis over the telephone. Among those who heard the news in person, a steady 40% were alone. Characteristics of those who received the news over the telephone included having identified support members, heterosexual identity, and a diagnosis of in situ breast cancer. Conclusions: Receiving a telephone call about breast cancer diagnosis may be the norm rather than the exception in health care today. Trends in practice, as well as current best practices based primarily on expert opinion, may not provide optimal care for women diagnosed with breast cancer. Patient outcome research to guide future practice, such as the impact of modes of delivery of bad news, is urgently needed to determine appropriate patient-centered approaches for notification of breast cancer diagnoses.
KW - Bad news
KW - Breast cancer diagnosis
KW - Patient-provider communication
KW - Telephone communication
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U2 - 10.1007/s00520-018-4383-y
DO - 10.1007/s00520-018-4383-y
M3 - Article
C2 - 30088139
AN - SCOPUS:85052064655
SN - 0941-4355
VL - 27
SP - 943
EP - 950
JO - Supportive Care in Cancer
JF - Supportive Care in Cancer
IS - 3
ER -