Meissner H I, Anderson D M, Odenkirchen J C
Patient Educ Couns. 1990 Apr;15(2):171-9. doi: 10.1016/0738-3991(90)90060-x.
Although significant others (spouses, relatives and friends) of cancer patients play an important role in providing support and assistance to the patient, their need for information regarding the disease is frequently overlooked by the health care system. This analysis examines information needs of (1) diagnosed cancer patients, (2) significant others of diagnosed cancer patients and (3) the general public, as reflected in their calls to the Cancer Information Service (CIS), a national toll-free telephone inquiry service. Major focus is on the types of cancer-related subjects significant others inquire about, as well as how they first found out about the CIS. Results indicate that significant others are similar to diagnosed cancer patients in their need for additional information on specific cancer sites, treatment, and referrals for second opinions, but differ in their request for information on counseling services and clinical trials. Additionally, significant others and cancer patients are similar in how they find out about the CIS. In contrast, significant others differ from the general public in their information requirements, as well as in their source of referral to the CIS. While the CIS appears to be a channel of communication capable of addressing the dynamic information needs of significant others, further research concerning the effectiveness of the CIS and other channels of cancer information in satisfying the information requirements of significant others is recommended.
尽管癌症患者的重要他人（配偶、亲属和朋友）在为患者提供支持和帮助方面发挥着重要作用，但医疗保健系统常常忽视他们对疾病相关信息的需求。本分析通过研究拨打癌症信息服务（CIS）热线的情况，考察了（1）已确诊癌症患者、（2）已确诊癌症患者的重要他人以及（3）普通公众的信息需求。CIS是一项全国性的免费电话咨询服务。主要关注重要他人咨询的癌症相关主题类型，以及他们最初是如何得知CIS的。结果表明，重要他人在对特定癌症部位、治疗以及寻求第二意见转诊等方面的额外信息需求上与已确诊癌症患者相似，但在咨询服务和临床试验信息请求方面存在差异。此外，重要他人和癌症患者了解CIS的方式相似。相比之下，重要他人在信息需求以及向CIS转诊的来源方面与普通公众不同。虽然CIS似乎是一个能够满足重要他人动态信息需求的沟通渠道，但建议进一步研究CIS和其他癌症信息渠道在满足重要他人信息需求方面的有效性。
