cancer; anxiety; medical consultation; communication skills; training
Abstract :
[en] Background: No study has yet assessed the impact of physicians' skills acquisition after a communication skills training programme on the evolution of patients' anxiety following a medical consultation. This study aimed to compare the impact, on patients' anxiety, of a basic communication skills training programme (BT) and the same programme consolidated by consolidation workshops (CW), and to investigate physicians' communication variables associated with patients' anxiety. Patients and methods: Physicians, after attending the BT, were randomly assigned to CW or to a waiting list. The control group was not a non-intervention group. Consultations with a cancer patient were recorded. Patients' anxiety was assessed with the State Trait Anxiety Inventory before and after a consultation. Communication skills were analysed according to the Cancer Research Campaign Workshop Evaluation Manual. Results: No statistically significant change over time and between groups was observed. Mixed-effects modelling showed that a decrease in patients' anxiety was linked with screening questions (P = 0.045), physicians' satisfaction about support given (P = 0.004) and with patients' distress (P < 0.001). An increase in anxiety was linked with breaking bad news (P = 0.050) and with supportive skills (P = 0.013). No impact of the training programme was observed. Conclusions: This study shows the influence of some communication skills on the evolution of patients' anxiety. Physicians should be aware of these influences.
Disciplines :
Oncology
Author, co-author :
Lienard, Aurore
Merckaert, Isabelle
Libert, Yves
Delvaux, Nicole
Marchal, Serge
Boniver, Jacques ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences biomédicales et précliniques > Anatomie et cytologie pathologiques
Etienne, Anne-Marie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de personne et société > Psychologie de la santé
Klastersky, Jean
Reynaert, Christine
Scalliet, Pierre
Slachmuylder, Jean Louis
Razavi, Darius
Language :
English
Title :
Factors that influence cancer patients' anxiety following a medical consultation: impact of a communication skills training programme for physicians
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