Steginga Suzanne K, Smith David P, Pinnock Carole, Metcalfe Robyn, Gardiner Robert A, Dunn Jeff
Community Services, Queensland Cancer Fund, PO Box 201, Spring Hill QLD 4004, Australia.
BJU Int. 2007 Jan;99(1):68-71. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2006.06545.x. Epub 2006 Oct 9.
To assess clinicians' knowledge and attitudes to prostate cancer peer-support groups, essential in improving support services for men with prostate cancer, as patients' perceptions of their clinicians' attitudes to such groups predict patients' positive and negative perceptions of their experiences at such groups.
In all, 36 clinicians (75% response) across Australia, of whom 27 were urologists and nine were radiation oncologists, were interviewed in-depth using a key-informant approach. Nine clinicians were from regional Australia, with the remaining 27 from major metropolitan settings. Subsequently, 30 clinicians (69% response) completed surveys to confirm identified themes.
Peer support was rated positively by most clinicians and most report a fair to good knowledge of such groups. However, less than a quarter regularly refer their patients to these groups. While clinicians can describe positive aspects of peer support, many are concerned that biased viewpoints and misinformation within these groups might potentially contribute to patients' decisional uncertainty and regret.
Further research is needed to establish for whom these support groups are most helpful. Concerns about misleading information that might be proffered in support groups is a barrier to clinician referral to these groups. Dialogue between prostate cancer interest groups and clinicians to resolve concerns presents as a key strategy to improve support for men with prostate cancer.
评估临床医生对前列腺癌同伴支持小组的了解和态度，这对于改善前列腺癌男性患者的支持服务至关重要，因为患者对临床医生对此类小组态度的看法会影响他们对此类小组经历的积极或消极认知。
采用关键信息人访谈法，对澳大利亚各地的36名临床医生（回应率75%）进行了深入访谈，其中27名是泌尿科医生，9名是放射肿瘤学家。9名临床医生来自澳大利亚地区，其余27名来自主要大都市地区。随后，30名临床医生（回应率69%）完成了调查以确认所确定的主题。
大多数临床医生对同伴支持给予了积极评价，并且大多数人表示对这类小组有较好的了解。然而，不到四分之一的临床医生会定期将患者转介到这些小组。虽然临床医生能够描述同伴支持的积极方面，但许多人担心这些小组中的偏见观点和错误信息可能会导致患者决策时的不确定性和后悔情绪。
需要进一步研究以确定这些支持小组对哪些人最有帮助。对支持小组中可能提供的误导性信息的担忧是临床医生将患者转介到这些小组的障碍。前列腺癌相关利益集团与临床医生之间就解决这些担忧进行对话是改善前列腺癌男性患者支持的关键策略。
