Guidry J J, Aday L A, Zhang D, Winn R J
Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843, USA.
J Cancer Educ. 1998 Spring;13(1):43-8. doi: 10.1080/08858199809528511.
This study examined the sources used by cancer patients to obtain helpful information regarding their treatment options and side effects and the major predictors that facilitated usage of information.
The survey was administered to a representative sample of cancer patients in Texas. The cancer treatment facilities from which the patients were sampled were part of the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center's Texas Community Oncology Network. A total of 593 patients (65%) out of 910 contacted responded to the survey.
The patients reported that providers such as physicians and nurses were the most helpful sources of information. White patients tended to use books and reference materials more heavily to gather additional information regarding their treatment, while black patients relied on pamphlets and television. Educational level appeared to have a major influence on the black patient's use of printed materials.
The results document the important role that providers play in influencing patients' treatment decisions. Effective ways to communicate with cancer patients are different for patients with different racial backgrounds. Implications for the future development of patient education materials and cancer prevention initiatives targeting ethnic minorities are addressed.
本研究调查了癌症患者获取有关其治疗方案和副作用的有用信息的来源，以及促进信息使用的主要预测因素。
对得克萨斯州具有代表性的癌症患者样本进行了调查。患者抽样所来自的癌症治疗机构是德克萨斯大学MD安德森癌症中心德克萨斯社区肿瘤学网络的一部分。在910名被联系者中，共有593名患者（65%）回复了调查。
患者报告称，医生和护士等医疗服务提供者是最有用的信息来源。白人患者倾向于更多地使用书籍和参考资料来收集有关其治疗的更多信息，而黑人患者则依赖宣传册和电视。教育水平似乎对黑人患者使用印刷材料有重大影响。
结果证明了医疗服务提供者在影响患者治疗决策方面所起的重要作用。对于不同种族背景的患者，与癌症患者有效沟通的方式有所不同。文中讨论了对针对少数民族的患者教育材料和癌症预防举措未来发展的启示。
