1. Study of psychological reaction within patients with advanced cancer after breaking bad news
Innovation 2016;10(1):20-23
We conducted cohort study of 170 patients with advanced cancer who admitted to the Palliative care department of NCC, Hope, Green Home and Grace Hospices. Bad news was informed before the hospitalization by Robert Buckman 6 steps. Psychological reactions of patients were observedimmediately after breaking bad news, after 30 minutes, after one day and after a week.Immediate psychological reactions of patients after breaking bad news was different: 25% of patientssat quietly withdraw into themselves and think about something, 24.2% - sighed heavily and stared in disbelief, 21% - cried or had watering eyes, 14.8% - felt mental relief and were thankful for telling truth, 12% - looked very sad and depressed, 9.7%- looked in fear and worrying. Psychological reaction like crying, fear, worrying were more common within female patients, and psychological reactions like withdraw into themselves and think about something were more common for male patients. After 30minutes patients started ask questions, 80% of patients want talk about treatment (asked questions about possibility for treatment abroad, about palliative treatment, and other therapeutic options), 30% of patients asked about prognosis, 29% of patients asked about possible complications, 19% of patients expressed their anger to family members, because they did not tell truth to them, 4 % ofpatients still expressed disbelief to bad news and they told that they are enough strong to fight with disease or they can find other treatment option. After 7 days 85% of patients were psychologicallycomfortable, because they accepted diagnosis and prognosis, 74 % of patients had very good communication with family, and 65% of them experienced psychosocial rehabilitation, 44%- prepared testament, 30% - finished uncompleted job.First several minutes after breaking bad news patients experienced severe psychological reactions, but after several days they came to psychosocial rehabilitation, for this reason we have to inform to patients truth about diagnosis and prognosis.