Stedeford A
Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1981 Oct 24;283(6299):1098-101. doi: 10.1136/bmj.283.6299.1098.
Forty-one couples facing the prospect of separation by death were interviewed about how the nature and prognosis of their illness had been discussed with them by their general practitioner hospital staff, and the staff of the continuing care unit to which they were admitted. Communication between husband and wife and how they coped with telling their parents and their children was also assessed. Treatment was given when they were anxious or dissatisfied about the quality of communication in any of these areas. The couples found hospital doctors least successful at communication. Almost all who were dissatisfied wanted more information, not less. The wish to protect dependent relatives conflicted with the wish to be open, making decisions very difficult. Considerable suffering is caused by poor communication, and much of this is avoidable.
对41对面临因一方死亡而分离的夫妻进行了访谈，内容涉及他们的全科医生、医院工作人员以及他们所入住的持续护理病房的工作人员是如何与他们讨论病情的性质和预后的。同时也评估了夫妻之间的沟通情况以及他们如何应对告知父母和子女这件事。当他们对这些方面中任何一个的沟通质量感到焦虑或不满时，就会给予相应治疗。这些夫妻发现医院医生在沟通方面最不成功。几乎所有不满意的人都希望获得更多而非更少的信息。保护受抚养亲属的愿望与坦诚相待的愿望相冲突，这使得做决定非常困难。沟通不畅会造成相当大的痛苦，而且其中很多是可以避免的。
