BACKGROUND: There are limited studies on factors associated with cancer patients' perception of curability. OBJECTIVE: To examine advanced cancer patient's perception of curability and its association with patient's sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, decisional control preference (DCP), symptoms, and end-of-life quality care outcomes. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a study to determine the DCP and illness understanding of advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care (PC). MEASUREMENTS: Data of the Illness Understanding survey, the Control Preference Scale, and demographics, symptoms, and end-of-life quality care outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: Of 121 patients, 104 (86%) were evaluable. Median age was 56 years, 60% were women, and 64% had a Karnofsky performance status ≤60. Thirty-seven percent inaccurately reported that their cancer was curable. Patients with accurate perception were more likely to choose a passive DCP (20% vs. 2.6%, p = 0.04). An accurate perception of curability was associated with a longer time from advanced cancer diagnosis to PC referral (odds ratio [OR] = 1.04, p = 0.04). There was a trend toward an association between inaccurate perception of curability, male gender (OR = 0.29, p = 0.09), and intensive care unit admission within 30 days of death (OR = 0.26, p = 0.09). No other significant associations between perception of curability and patients' demographics, clinical characteristics, symptoms, or end-of-life quality care outcomes were found. CONCLUSIONS: Thirty-seven percent of advanced cancer patients receiving PC inaccurately perceived their disease curable. These patients were more likely to have earlier PC referrals. An accurate perception of curability was associated with passive DCP. Further studies are needed to test effective communication strategies to mitigate this misperception.
BACKGROUND: There are limited studies on factors associated with cancerpatients' perception of curability. OBJECTIVE: To examine advanced cancerpatient's perception of curability and its association with patient's sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, decisional control preference (DCP), symptoms, and end-of-life quality care outcomes. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a study to determine the DCP and illness understanding of advanced cancerpatients receiving palliative care (PC). MEASUREMENTS: Data of the Illness Understanding survey, the Control Preference Scale, and demographics, symptoms, and end-of-life quality care outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: Of 121 patients, 104 (86%) were evaluable. Median age was 56 years, 60% were women, and 64% had a Karnofsky performance status ≤60. Thirty-seven percent inaccurately reported that their cancer was curable. Patients with accurate perception were more likely to choose a passive DCP (20% vs. 2.6%, p = 0.04). An accurate perception of curability was associated with a longer time from advanced cancer diagnosis to PC referral (odds ratio [OR] = 1.04, p = 0.04). There was a trend toward an association between inaccurate perception of curability, male gender (OR = 0.29, p = 0.09), and intensive care unit admission within 30 days of death (OR = 0.26, p = 0.09). No other significant associations between perception of curability and patients' demographics, clinical characteristics, symptoms, or end-of-life quality care outcomes were found. CONCLUSIONS: Thirty-seven percent of advanced cancerpatients receiving PC inaccurately perceived their disease curable. These patients were more likely to have earlier PC referrals. An accurate perception of curability was associated with passive DCP. Further studies are needed to test effective communication strategies to mitigate this misperception.
Entities:
Keywords:
decisional control preference; palliative care; patient outcome assessment; perception of curability; symptoms
Authors: Kah Poh Loh; Supriya G Mohile; Jennifer L Lund; Ronald Epstein; Lianlian Lei; Eva Culakova; Colin McHugh; Megan Wells; Nikesha Gilmore; Mostafa R Mohamed; Charles Kamen; Valerie Aarne; Alison Conlin; James Bearden; Adedayo Onitilo; Marsha Wittink; William Dale; Arti Hurria; Paul Duberstein Journal: Oncologist Date: 2019-04-23
Authors: Kah Poh Loh; Erin Watson; Eva Culakova; Marie Flannery; Michael Sohn; Huiwen Xu; Sindhuja Kadambi; Allison Magnuson; Colin McHugh; Chandrika Sanapala; Lee Kehoe; Victor G Vogel; Brian L Burnette; Vincent Vinciguerra; Supriya G Mohile; Paul R Duberstein Journal: J Geriatr Oncol Date: 2022-03-08 Impact factor: 3.929