This study examined the relationship between (a) doctors' and patients' communication and (b) doctors' focus on the patient during the oncology consultation and patients' quality of life and satisfaction. The consultations of 96 consecutive cancer patients were recorded and their content analysed using Roter's interaction analysis system. Data collection (mailed questionnaires) took place after 1 week and after 3 months. The oncologists' behaviour was not related to patients' quality of life. Their social-emotional behaviours were related to both patient visit-specific and global satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses showed that quality of life and patient satisfaction were most strongly predicted by the quality of the consultation. Surprisingly, oncologists' focus on patients was negatively associated with global patient satisfaction after 3 months. In conclusion, doctor-patient communication during an oncology consultation is related to quality of life and patient satisfaction.
Doctor-Patient communication and cancer patients' quality of life and satisfaction
16 December 2022