Patient-health care provider communication during chemotherapy treatment: the perspectives of women with breast cancer

Recognition that communication plays a central role in the provision of qua lity patient care has: led to learning more about interactions between pati ents and their health care providers. The present study examined interactio ns between women with breast cancer and their cancer care specialists from the patients' perspective during the time the women underwent chemotherapy treatment. In total 40 women from two regional cancer centers were intervie wed about their communication experiences. Prevalent themes identified from analysis of the interview transcripts could be classified into two main ca tegories. One category focused on the nature of the information exchange an d included the themes of interaction modes and the power of information. Th e second category reflected relationship issues and included the themes of roles and responsibilities and connectedness. From their narratives, severa l patient, professional, and contextual factors could be identified that in fluenced women's perceptions about the quality of their communication exper ience. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.