Making sense of a diagnosis of incurable cancer: The importance of communication

摘要: Purpose:  Patients diagnosed with incurable cancer may experience existential distressand difficulty in re-appraising their lives because of uncertainty about the future. Objectives: This study sought to understand how patients living made sense diagnosis, they prepared for future and what support wanted from health professionals.  Subjects:  27 were recruited oncology palliative care service at three metropolitan hospitals. Methods:  A qualitative research approach was used. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews conducted. Interviews audio-taped transcribed verbatim.  Data analyzed using constant-comparative method.  Results:  Participants did not express a need make diagnosis nor always ascribe particular religious belief; rather, many relied on personal spirituality or philosophy bring meaning experience. Importance placed doctor keeping up technology, being honest, confident positive. Conclusion:  this had but making current situation conscious priority. For these patients, positive, as certainty them indicates death is approaching. What suggest, patient’s perspective, that there an implied contract between patient during period which involves managing flow difficult information so can maintain normality long possible. Understanding helps explain having advance planning conversations within setting, despite opportunities longer disease trajectory would seem offer.