Patients have good reasons for not wanting further information about their cancer

Communication and information are accepted as important in the cancer setting. Patients vary, however, in how much information they want. Leydon et al (p 909) conducted in-depth interviews with 17 cancer patients to identify some of the reasons why they did not want or seek information about their condition. The patients displayed three overarching attitudes to their cancer and their strategies for coping with it which limited their desire for and subsequent efforts to obtain further information: faith, hope, and charity. In developing recommendations, the government's cancer information strategy should take account of these explanations.

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Relevant Article

Cancer patients' information needs and information seeking behaviour: in depth interview study

Geraldine M Leydon, Mary Boulton, Clare Moynihan, Alison Jones, Jean Mossman, Markella Boudioni, and Klim McPherson
BMJ 2000 320: 909-913. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]