FUNCTIONS AND PREFERRED METHODS OF RECEIVING INFORMATION RELATED TO RADIOTHERAPY - PERCEPTIONS OF PATIENTS WITH CANCER

A convenience sample of 83 patients with cancer were interviewed befor e and/or after a full course of radiotherapy, with 36 patients intervi ewed both times, to determine their perceptions about the functions se rved by the information received from standard care personnel. Patient s indicated the preferred sources of receiving information. The result s indicate that information sewed three main functions. Active partici pation was the most frequently cited function, followed by anxiety red uction and preparation. There was no difference by gender, age, educat ion, or socio economic status (SES) in type of functions cited. Disadv antages in receiving information were rarely cited but included receiv ing bad news and inaccurate or vague information. Many stated that the y nevertheless still wanted the information. Verbal communication, esp ecially from the physician, followed by written material, was the most popular choice for receiving information at pretreatment. Written mat erial was more frequently cited as the preferred type of information a t posttreatment. Nurses were mentioned as an information source more f requently at posttreatment than at pretreatment. Implications of the f indings for practitioners working with patients with cancer are discus sed.