Family physicians' opinions on and difficulties with breaking bad news.

HIGHLIGHTS

Breaking bad news is still deemed a difficult task by family physicians.Family physicians feel they need training in breaking bad news.The family physicians' attitude to this issue is different from what they would wish if they themselves had a life-threatening disease.

BACKGROUND

Family practice is the specialty with the highest number of doctors and covers all of Portugal. Therefore, the attitude of these doctors may have a high impact on patients.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the opinion and difficulties of Portuguese family doctors on dealing with communication with patients with life threatening diseases.

METHODS

A questionnaire was sent to about 10% of family doctors of Northern Portugal. The questionnaire included questions about the disclosure of information, if they feel they need training courses and what they would want if they had a life-threatening disease.

RESULTS

A questionnaire was given to 196 doctors and 159 (81%) participated in this study. The median age was 43 years (26-64) and 108 (68%) were females. One hundred thirty-five (85%) consider that breaking bad news is a difficult task. One hundred twenty-four (78%) feel they need training in breaking bad news. For many doctors, the disclosure of diagnoses and prognoses has a detrimental psychological effect and affects patients' hope, but gives patients' control of the situation. Given a situation where the doctors themselves had a life-threatening disease, the vast majority would want to know the diagnosis and the prognosis and to participate in treatment decisions.

CONCLUSIONS

Breaking bad news is still a difficult task. Their attitude to this duty is different from what they would wish if they themselves had a life-threatening disease. One important conclusion is the need of specific training in communication for family physicians that should begin in the training phase of their specialty.