Information: A Priceless Gift in Chronic Care Management of Cancer Patients

Abstract

The search for true information is a distressing and
anxious provoking situation for patients diagnosed with cancer.
Health professionals who are in possession of valuable
information should learn to disseminate information using
professional principles to enhance the coping among cancer
patients. The art of communicating health information is a
difficult task, but learning to do this unpleasant but necessary
task, can go a long way in enhancing the quality of life among
cancer patients and in many ways is an enriching experience.
The purpose of the study was to review and delineate the
informational needs of cancer patients from the perspectives of
the cancer patients, their significant others, health professionals
(doctors & professional nurses) and members of the
community. Design: of the study was descriptive. Data was
collected using a structured interviews tool, adapted from the
Toronto Informational Needs Questionnaire for Breast Cancer
(TINQ-BC) and the Informational Needs Assessment
Questionnaire for men with prostate cancer. The subscales
investigated were disease, investment test, treatment, physical
and psychosocial concerns. The sample size was 150 which
was distributes as 30 from each category of variables.
Results: The results showed that there were significant
differences in the perceptions of variables with regard to the
informational needs of cancer patients. This was further
analyzed using chi-square test. A major theme which evolved
across the interaction with cancer patients reflected on
communication as a critical element in providing care and
supporting self-care management. The findings enlarge upon
patient-centered approaches to health care communication.
Based on these core concepts, a set of guidelines which focuses
on feelings of team work and self-direction was formulated to
disseminate information to cancer patients.